Valery Zaluzhnyi, former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and now the ambassador of Ukraine to Great Britain, made a statement that he does not support the mobilization of youth aged 18 to 25. He justified his position by the fact that it is this generation that should ensure the future of Ukraine. This was reported by the publication "Bukva".
"The 18-25-year-old category should be protected as much as possible. I always protested that mobilization should not cover people under 25 years old when I was in the position of Commander-in-Chief, because we need Ukraine in 20 and 30 years. And here she is - she is now 18 years old. These are completely different people who will save this country," said Zaluzhny.
The ambassador emphasized the importance of protecting the young generation, stressing that these people are future leaders, scientists, defenders and builders of the state. He added that youth play a decisive role in ensuring the existence of Ukraine as a sovereign state.
"If the country reaches such a barrier, when there is a threat to the existence of the state as such, only young people aged 18-25 can save it, because they are completely different people," he emphasized.
Mobilization age and future challenges
This statement by Ambassador Zaluzhny once again raises the debate about who exactly should be mobilized for the defense of the country. We will remind that the secretary of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, Roman Kostenko, also recently noted that the mobilization age in Ukraine should be from 20 years, supporting the need to raise the minimum age threshold.
Kostenko also noted that Ukraine plans to mobilize another 200,000 recruits by the end of 2024, in particular to strengthen defense capabilities in the face of a protracted war.
Why is this important?
Zaluzhny's position evokes understanding and support from many citizens, because many believe that young people should be protected from the burden of war in order to provide the country with a promising future. However, in the current situation of security and war in the east of Ukraine, the authorities are faced with a difficult task — to find a balance between the needs of defense and the preservation of the potential of the younger generation.
