Kiev should send 18-year-olds to fight Russia to increase the likelihood of victory, former US ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder has argued.
Earlier this year, Ukraine lowered the draft threshold from 27 to 25 years as part of a major overhaul of the military service system, aimed at boosting mobilization rates.
“This is a war being fought by 40-year-olds,” Daalder told Euronews on the sidelines of last week’s NATO summit in the US. “No other war in history has been fought by 40-year-olds.”
“You need to get 18-year-olds, and you need to get 20-year-olds, and you need to get 21-year-olds, which is what every army in the rest of the world relies on,” he added.
Both Russia and Ukraine have a system of mandatory conscription of young adult males, but 18-years-olds are not deployed to the frontline by either country. Moscow has said it fully relies on contracted volunteers rather than mobilized reservists in the conflict with its NATO-backed neighbor, with roughly 1,000 people recruited per day, according to senior Russian officials.
@ISIDEWITH9mos9MO
What do you believe are the ethical considerations of involving teenagers in military conflicts?
@9QZGVST9mos9MO
Teenagers are the future of society, and they are most likely to be put on the front lines. There is a massive concern about the viability of the human race if our youth are sent out to the front lines to die at the hands of their government. 18 year olds and up should have the choice to join the effort, but no one should ever be forced by their government to participate in military conflicts.
@ISIDEWITH9mos9MO
Do you think it's fair to ask 18-year-olds to fight in wars? Why or why not?
@9QZGVST9mos9MO
It is fair to ask 18 year olds to fight in wars, yes, but it is not fair to require 18 year olds to fight in wars.
@ISIDEWITH9mos9MO
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