US pressuring Zelenskyy on lowering draft age – President's Office adviser

Politicians from both the Democratic and Republican parties in the United States are pressuring President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to lower the draft age, but he has "not caved in", according to Serhiy Leshchenko, an adviser to the head of the President's Office.

"American politicians from both parties are pressuring President Zelenskyy on why Ukraine is not drafting those aged 18 to 25. The argument from our partners is that, during the Vietnam War, the US drafted soldiers starting at age 19," the adviser wrote.

Americans hint that Western weapons alone are not enough and mobilization from age 18 is needed, according to him.

Leshchenko noted that Zelenskyy has "not caved in" and continues to persuade both Democrats and Republicans to provide weapons to Ukraine without changing the draft age.

Earlier, in August, Fedir Venislavskyi, a member of the defense committee, confirmed that the issue of lowering the draft age is periodically raised by Ukraine's partners who are providing assistance.

In their view, this age range is "the most optimal and effective" for citizens to fight, considering their physical and psychological qualities, noted the MP from the Servant of the People party.

At the same time, he emphasized that there are currently no plans to lower the draft age, and all government institutions share the same position on this issue.