Lowering mobilization age off table at talks with NATO defense chiefs - Umerov

During meetings of the Ukraine-NATO Council and those with NATO defense ministers, the issue of lowering the military draft age in Ukraine was never raised.

This was stated by Ukraine’s Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov, who spoke with Ukrainian journalists following those meetings in Brussels, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"First, there was no discussion of mobilization. Second, we don’t comment on rumors. Third, when I am asked about military draft, I say we launched mobilization along with Parliament. They (international partners - ed.) want to understand why we do not recruit and mobilize men aged 18 to 25. We explain to them that this is a condition set by the Verkhovna Rada, which allowed us to mobilize those aged 25 to 60," Umerov said.

Regarding possible changes in the issue of mobilization age, the minister noted: "We want to give people a choice... The legislation clearly states – 25 years of age and above. In this regard, if someone is willing to come and serve their people, we always welcome that."

As Ukrinform reported earlier, referring to Defir Venislavskyi, chair the subcommittee on state security, defense and defense innovations at the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, said the issue of lowering the mobilization age is currently not on the agenda.