The Biden administration is urging Ukraine to further reduce its minimum conscription age to 18 to bolster its military forces against Russia, nearly three years into the war.

A senior U.S. official, speaking anonymously to the Associated Press, stated that Ukraine’s numerical disadvantage necessitates expanding its fighting force by lowering the draft age from 25.

The official explained that Ukraine struggles to mobilize and train sufficient replacements for battlefield losses, failing to keep pace with Russia’s expanding military.

While Ukrainian President Zelenskyy lowered the conscription age from 27 to 25 in April, this measure alone proved insufficient.

However, concerns exist within Ukraine that further reducing the conscription age could harm the national economy by depleting the workforce. Some Ukrainian officials view the U.S. pressure as a deflection from criticism regarding delays in Western military aid.

Despite over one million Ukrainians currently serving, including National Guard and other units, Ukrainian officials estimate needing an additional 160,000 troops.

The Biden administration believes Ukraine may require even more personnel and that addressing this manpower shortage surpasses the urgency for additional weaponry.

National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett affirmed the administration’s commitment to continued arms shipments, but emphasized that manpower is Ukraine’s most critical need. He added that the U.S. is prepared to expand training efforts if Ukraine takes steps to increase troop numbers.

The White House has committed over $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the war began, with billions more expected before President Biden leaves office.

While President-elect [Name Redacted] has pledged a swift end to the conflict, concerns remain about the continuation of military support to Ukraine under his administration.