Biden administration is urging Ukraine to lower draft age to 18 from 25 to meet manpower needs to stay in fight with Russia
The Biden administration is urging Ukraine to expand its military rapidly by drafting more troops and revising mobilization laws to conscript individuals as young as 18, senior officials disclosed on Wednesday.
A high-ranking official, speaking anonymously about internal discussions, stated that the U.S. administration has pressed Kyiv to lower its draft age from 25 to 18. This move is aimed at broadening the pool of eligible men to bolster Ukraine's forces, which remain outnumbered as the war with Russia approaches its third anniversary.
“The numbers speak for themselves,” the official said. “Ukraine needs more soldiers to sustain its fight. At present, they aren’t mobilizing or training replacements at a pace that matches battlefield losses, nor are they keeping up with Russia's growing military presence.”
Since the start of Russia's February 2022 invasion, the U.S. has delivered over $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine and plans to send more before President Joe Biden leaves office in less than two months. However, the administration is increasingly emphasizing that Ukraine already has the weapons it needs and must now focus on substantially increasing troop numbers to maintain its position against Russia.
While Ukrainian officials estimate they need an additional 160,000 troops, U.S. assessments suggest an even higher number may be required. Over 1 million Ukrainians are currently serving in various military and paramilitary units, including the National Guard.
European allies have similarly raised concerns about Ukraine’s manpower issues, warning that the shortage could undermine Kyiv's ability to operate effectively in contested regions like Russia’s Kursk border. The situation has been further complicated by the arrival of North Korean troops in support of Moscow's efforts to reclaim territories lost during Ukraine’s incursions earlier this year.
The urgency comes amid uncertainty over U.S. support as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office on January 20. Trump has pledged to bring a swift end to the war, leaving allies and Ukraine questioning the future of American military aid.
“There are no simple solutions to Ukraine’s manpower challenges, but lowering the draft age could help address the shortfall,” said Bradley Bowman, senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “This is a difficult decision for a nation that has already endured so much due to Russia’s invasion.”
Ukraine has already implemented measures to widen its draft pool, including an April parliamentary decision to lower the maximum draft age from 27 to 25, eliminate some exemptions, and establish an online registry for recruits. These changes were projected to yield an additional 50,000 soldiers—far below the numbers needed.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has resisted calls to further lower the draft age, citing insufficient equipment to accommodate a larger force. A senior Ukrainian official, speaking anonymously, accused some Western partners of using the draft-age debate to distract from delays in providing equipment or authorizing more aggressive tactics, such as strikes deeper into Russian territory.
The official added that Kyiv sees additional soldiers as a complement, not a replacement, to addressing Russia’s advantages in equipment and firepower. "The shortage of manpower is real, but Ukraine cannot fill that gap without equal attention to its material needs," the official said.
Conscription remains a contentious issue in Ukraine, which has observed Russia grapple with similar challenges in maintaining troop levels. However, the U.S. insists that the urgency of Ukraine’s manpower shortfall can no longer be ignored.