米高官、ウクライナに動員年齢１８歳への引き下げ要請を示唆

【ワシントンＡＦＰ＝時事】退任を控える米国のジョー・バイデン政権の高官は２７日、ロシア軍の攻勢を受けているウクライナに対し、兵力不足に対処するため、軍の動員対象年齢の下限を２５歳から１８歳に引き下げるよう求める考えを示した。（写真は資料写真）
　バイデン政権の高官は匿名を条件に、「ウクライナは現在、戦場での損失を補うのに十分な数の兵士を動員・訓練しておらず、軍を増強しているロシアに後れを取っている」と指摘。
　米政府が適切と考える動員年齢の下限について問われると、「１８歳への引き下げをウクライナが検討するのは重要だと考えている」と答えた。米国では、選抜徴兵局への登録は１８歳からとなっている。
　ウクライナはすでに、動員年齢の下限を２７歳から２５歳に引き下げている。
　ホワイトハウスはその後、ウクライナに対する米国の大規模な軍事支援は動員年齢のさらなる引き下げ次第だという話はしていないと主張。
　その上で、米国家安全保障会議（ＮＳＣ）のジョン・カービー戦略広報調整官は「わが国は間違いなく、ウクライナに武器や装備を送り続ける。それが極めて重要であることは分かっている。だが同様に、今は人員も極めて重要だ」と指摘。
　「ウクライナが適切な措置を講じて兵を補充するのであれば、わが国も訓練能力を強化する用意はある」と述べた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/11/28-17:03）

The outgoing US administration of President Joe Biden urged Ukraine Wednesday to reduce the minimum conscription age to 18 from 25 to tackle a manpower shortage as Russian forces press in.
The call for Kyiv to boost its ranks came amid speculation that incoming president Donald Trump will take a new approach that could include pushing Kyiv into a peace deal with Moscow.
A senior Biden administration official said that Ukraine was facing an existential recruitment crunch as it confronts a much larger enemy with more advanced weapons, and with its stocks of volunteers dwindling.
The simple truth is that Ukraine is not currently mobilizing or training enough soldiers to replace their battlefield losses while keeping pace with Russia's growing military, said the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Pressed on what Washington considers an appropriate minimum age, the official replied that we think there's real value in them considering lowering the recruiting age to 18 -- in line with the US benchmark.
Struggling to contain the Russian invasion launched in February 2022, Ukraine has already lowered the minimum age of mobilization from 27 to 25.
Biden's White House later clarified that it was not talking about making the huge flow of US military aid to Kyiv dependent on a conscription age change.
We're absolutely going to keep sending Ukraine weapons and equipment. We know that's vital. But so, too, is manpower at this point, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.
In fact, we believe manpower is the most vital need they have. So, we're also ready to ramp up our training capacity if they take appropriate steps to fill out their ranks.
President-elect Trump signaled a possible change of approach with Biden on Wednesday when he nominated the staunch loyalist and retired general Keith Kellogg as his Ukraine envoy.
Kellogg has previously suggested that Washington could leverage the huge flow of military aid to Kyiv as a means of pushing it to enter peace talks with Moscow.
He has also proposed promising that NATO would not give Kyiv membership for years in exchange for Russia offering security guarantees.
Trump has previously said he would arrange a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia in 24 hours, without explaining how.