Ukraine

https://www.ft.com/content/328141b2-fc6e-43a1-aa6b-262358b9ac0e
“Let there be no speculation — our state is not preparing to lower the mobilisation age,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told parliament last week. Zelenskyy’s office on Thursday strongly pushed back against the US request and sought to shift the blame on delays in the supply of western weaponry. “Ukraine cannot be expected to compensate for delays in logistics or hesitation in support with the youth of our men on the frontline,” said Dmytro Lytvyn, the top communications adviser to the Ukrainian president."

Not good. Assuming the quotes are accurate, this is a bad approach which misunderstands the American public.

I understand the demograpic risks Ukraine faces but this is about their national survival NOW. As someone who agrees with continued US support to Ukraine, I think that it is totally understandable that some Americans would question such continued support absent some compelling and militarily strategic reason for holding back on lowering the conscription age.

And certainly I would be furious if I were a parent of an English or French soldier deployed to Ukraine if they maintain this conscription limitation.