Ukraine plans to lure 18-year-olds into military service with 'attractive' contracts
President Zelensky said that Ukraine is implementing lucrative contracts in the Armed Forces of Ukraine for 18-year-old Ukrainians.
According to RIA Novosti, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Kiev plans to attract 18-year-olds into the Ukrainian Armed Forces with "lucrative contracts".
"The combat brigades, the experienced brigades, together with the Ministry of Defense... are working on a contract option for young people between 18 and 24 years old... There will be a special agreement, there will be many incentives, there will be very high financial support" – President Zelensky said in an interview with Reuters.
The Ukrainian leader also said Kiev plans to announce these contracts "in the coming days".
Previously, former US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that the Ukrainian government would have to make a decision to lower the military service age to 18. On January 14, in response to calls from Western partners to lower the military service age, President Zelensky made a request that the Ukrainian Armed Forces be equipped with equipment and weapons.
In the spring of 2024, President Zelensky signed a law reducing the military conscription age in Ukraine from 27 to 25.
Commenting on the plan to attract 18-year-olds to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the official spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova noted that this decision is part of the deal on rare earth metals in exchange for financial and military aid from Washington.
