Bolton's Bold Proposal: Ukraine Urged to Draft 18-Year-Olds to Bolster Frontlines

Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has sparked intense debate following an interview with France 24, where he recommended that Ukraine lower its mandatory military conscription age from 25 to 18 .

Bolton argued that mobilizing younger citizens is a necessary step to increase combat power and ensure that the "burden of war" is distributed more equitably across Ukrainian society. Framing the suggestion as advice from a "friend," the former official is essentially calling on Kyiv to tap into its youngest demographic—recent high school graduates—to address the critical manpower shortages currently facing the armed forces.