Zelensky: Changes to mobilization rules are currently not feasible.

"Martial law entails the mobilization of people and all resources. Unfortunately, this is the challenge of this war. We are defending ourselves today. If tomorrow half of the army simply goes home, then we should have surrendered on the first day; if tomorrow half goes home, Putin will kill us all," stated the President of Ukraine.

In December, the First Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Ivan Havryliuk, announced that the draft bill on demobilization is nearly ready. However, it cannot be implemented until reserves are prepared to replace military personnel at the front.

Following the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion, President Zelensky declared martial law in Ukraine and issued a decree for general mobilization, which has been extended multiple times.

To increase the number of servicemen at the front, last year the Verkhovna Rada approved new mobilization rules. The legislation allowed for the conscription age for Ukrainian men to be lowered from 27 to 25 years, narrowed exemptions, and introduced penalties for draft evaders.

Despite these efforts, the Armed Forces of Ukraine still significantly lag behind the Russian army in terms of numbers.

Western allies have urged Kyiv to lower the conscription age. However, this idea has faced opposition in Ukraine. In particular, Zelensky recently stated that reducing the mobilization age would only lead to an increase in unarmed individuals at the front. Ukraine should not compensate for a lack of equipment and training with the youth of its soldiers. According to Zelensky, the priority should be on supplying missiles and diminishing Russia's military potential, rather than lowering the conscription age in Ukraine. "The goal should be to preserve as many lives as possible, not to maintain weapons in warehouses," – wrote Zelensky on social media platform X.