No plans to lower mobilization age, all government institutions agree, says Ukraine's MP
There are currently no plans to lower the draft age, and all government institutions share the same position on this, Fedir Venislavskyi, a Servant of the People MP and member of the National Security and Defense Committee, told LIGA.net.
"There are no plans to lower the draft age at this time! There is a clear, synchronized position from all government institutions on this issue!" he stated.
However, the MP did not answer questions about how long it would take to pass a reduction in the mobilization age if such a decision were made, whether it would require a separate bill, or if amendments to the new mobilization law would suffice.
Earlier, a phrase from Venislavskyi's briefing at Media Center Ukraine spread in Ukrainian Telegram channels, where he acknowledged that partners raise the issue of lowering the draft age.
However, he said, there are no initiatives in Ukraine to lower the draft age below 25, neither from the Verkhovna Rada [Ukrainian parliament - ed.], nor from representatives of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, or from the Ministry of Defense.
"So we have no grounds to talk about the need to reduce the age of conscription for military service during mobilization," the MP noted.
However, he reported that partners providing aid to Ukraine periodically raise the issue of lowering the mobilization age to 18-25 years.
In their opinion, the age of 18-25 is "the most optimal and effective" for citizens to fight productively, considering their physical and psychological qualities, Venislavskyi said.
However, he emphasized again, that there are "no initiatives in this regard" at the level of Ukraine, legislative, executive branches, or the president.
At the same briefing, the MP noted that after the adoption of the new law, the current mobilization situation satisfies the country's top military leadership.
Read also: Ukraine parliament extends martial law, general mobilization