Ukraine called on its allies on Thursday to expedite military assistance, emphasizing that the timely provision of essential battlefield equipment is more critical than increasing troop numbers.

A senior official from the U.S. administration indicated on Wednesday that Ukraine was not enlisting enough new soldiers to replace those lost in combat, suggesting that Kyiv should lower the mobilization age from 25 to 18.

“We are currently in a position where we require more equipment to properly equip all the personnel that have already been mobilized, and we believe that the top priority should be to accelerate the delivery of military aid,” stated Heorhii Tykhyi, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s foreign ministry, during a press briefing in Kyiv.

His remarks were in line with comments made on Wednesday by Ukrainian presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn, who criticized what he described as slow military support. “It is unreasonable to expect Ukraine to make up for delays in logistics or indecision in support with the youth of our soldiers on the front lines,” Lytvyn expressed on X.

Ukrainian forces are engaged in a protracted struggle against a relentless Russian offensive along an extensive front, where Russian troops are steadily capturing village after village in an effort to ultimately take control of the entire industrialized Donbas region.

Tykhyi, the spokesperson for the foreign ministry, stated that Ukraine’s mobilization strategy is consistently addressed in discussions with partners, along with other subjects like defense strategy and sanctions against Russia. He emphasized that there is no disagreement on this issue.

“I can confirm that this topic is part of our negotiations. I can assure you that it is not a source of tension, nor is it being discussed in a critical or negative light,” he remarked.