**US Asks Ukraine to Lower Draft Age**
The US government wants Ukraine to lower its draft age from 25 to 18. This is to help increase the number of soldiers in Ukraine’s army, which is struggling with a shortage of troops.
Ukraine has been fighting Russia for nearly three years now. The country needs more soldiers to replace those who have been killed or wounded in battle. However, it also wants to be able to defend itself against Russia’s growing military.
**Concerns in Kyiv**
Ukrainian officials are not happy with the idea of lowering the draft age. They say that Ukraine does not have enough equipment for new soldiers and that drafting younger workers could harm the country’s economy.
**European Views**
Some European officials believe that Ukraine’s main problem is a lack of troops, rather than a shortage of weapons. They think that Ukraine needs to be able to sustain its operations in the region where it borders Russia.
**Complications**
The situation has become even more complicated with the arrival of thousands of North Korean soldiers supporting Russia’s efforts. These soldiers are helping Russia try to take back territory that was lost to Ukraine earlier this year.
**Ukraine’s Previous Law Changes**
In April, Ukraine lowered its draft age from 27 to 25. This added 50,000 new troops to the army but still did not meet Ukraine’s needs. Men who were of military age had to update their personal data by July 17, which they have now done.
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