Ukraine war: MPs reject bid to crack down on draft dodgers
Ukraine’s parliament has rejected a conscription bill aimed at addressing draft evasion, with lawmakers citing concerns about the bill’s unconstitutional punitive measures.
Some legislators have proposed shortening the proposed military service duration from 36 to 18 months. The bill, designed to boost conscription amid challenges on the battlefield during the two-year conflict with Russia, also sought to lower the conscription age from 27 to 25.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously emphasized the need for an additional 450,000-500,000 soldiers. However, contentious elements of the bill, such as restricting draft dodgers’ property rights and financial freedom, have sparked controversy.
The proposed legislation also included the option for electronic summoning of individuals to join the armed forces, as voluntary enlistment has become more challenging over time.
In December, Ukrainians abroad were informed about the possibility of being called for military service, described by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov as an invitation without implied sanctions for refusal.
Zelensky acknowledged the sensitivity and costliness of achieving the desired troop increase.
Meanwhile, Kyiv’s recent counter-offensive has seemingly stalled, and military aid has faced setbacks, including the blocking of a $61 billion US military package by Republicans and Hungary’s halt to a €50 billion EU financial deal.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Thursday that negotiations over further US assistance had “ground to a halt” as the government continues to negotiate its budget.
Mr Zelensky is currently on a tour of the Baltic states – and is currently in Latvia – to bolster further support including urging Western allies to provide more air defence weapons.
Speaking earlier in Tallinn, Estonia, he warned about the dangers of Western hesitation. He said: “Sometimes the insecurity of partners regarding financial and military aid to Ukraine only increases Russia’s courage and strength.”
His remarks came as a new US report warned that more than $1bn (£785m) worth of US military aid given to Ukraine since February 2022 was not properly tracked.
The findings by the Pentagon’s inspector general said US officials in Washington DC and Europe had failed to properly account for thousands of weapons, including stringer launchers and air defence missiles. It raises concerns that some of the $1.69bn in military aid supplied to Ukraine could have been misappropriated.
But in a letter responding to the report, Col Garrett W Trott of the US military’s European Command emphasized that the report found “no evidence of unauthorized or illicit transfer of EEUM [Enhanced End Use Monitoring] defence articles provided to Ukraine”.
And the report itself conceded that it was “beyond the scope” of its inquiry to determine whether any arms had been misappropriated.
