Blinken stresses importance of Ukrainians embracing mobilization as a necessary step to NATO membership

05/17/2024 / By Richard Brown

During a visit to Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the need for Ukrainians to embrace further mobilization efforts as a crucial step toward their country’s eventual membership with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Addressing students at the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Blinken underscored that while Ukrainians can rely on continued support from the United States, they must also recognize the significance of the military draft in countering so-called Russian aggression.

“The recent mobilization was a tough decision, but a vital one. The brave defenders who valiantly held the line for over two years need assistance. They require respite,” Blinken said.

He emphasized that successful military mobilization efforts would strengthen Ukraine’s defenses, bolster unit numbers and better enable Ukrainians to confront Russian forces.

Blinken acknowledged members of the university community who volunteered, noting that 88 of them have lost their lives in the ongoing conflict. He also reiterated the U.S. commitment to Ukraine’s future as a free, prosperous democracy fully integrated into the Euro-Atlantic community.

“We are advancing Ukraine’s NATO membership, ensuring a robust and illuminated pathway,” he pledged, believing that there will be significant progress on this front. This comes as Russian officials claim that Ukraine incurred over 111,000 casualties this year alone, as of early May.

Western powers assert that their support for Ukraine is a means of countering Russia’s imperial ambitions over Eastern Europe, while the Kremlin asserts that the conflict is part of a U.S.-led proxy war against Russia. Russian officials cite NATO’s growing presence in Ukraine as its primary motive for military action.

Ukraine’s new military mobilization law requires all men aged 18 to 60 to be available for draft

Ukraine has passed a series of sweeping military reforms, marking the biggest overhaul of the country’s military mobilization regulations.

Under the new law, all men aged 18 to 60 are mandated to register with Ukraine’s military and carry their military registration documents at all times and be available when needed to be called up for military service. Kyiv hopes to streamline and enhance transparency in the recruitment process through this measure.

Men eligible for service residing outside Ukraine will be unable to renew their passports at Ukrainian consulates and embassies without presenting up-to-date military registration documentation, hoping that such a move will compel Ukrainian men of fighting age to return home and join the war effort.

Other reforms include higher penalties for draft evasion. The legislation does not address any potential increase in the number of individuals subject to military service, nor does it include provisions for demobilizing soldiers who have served extended periods on the front lines. (Related: No escape from the meat grinder: Zelensky signs tyrannical mobilization bill that lets no man escape.)

Ukrainian lawmakers deliberated for months on whether to allow rotation for the longest-serving soldiers amidst Russia’s renewed offensives. Ultimately, the parliament opted to retain as many soldiers at the front lines as possible, disappointing families hoping for fixed service periods.

The draft underwent over 4,000 amendments, highlighting the political challenges in crafting the legislation. Despite public outcry, the parliament passed the law, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky granting presidential approval.

Last year, the leader of Zelensky’s parliamentary faction stated that the military sought an additional half million servicemen and women. However, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsyki recently indicated that any increase in personnel would likely be considerably lower.

Zelensky’s endorsement of the law followed a warning from Ukraine’s eastern front commander that Russian troops outnumbered Ukrainian forces by up to tenfold. Following the law’s passage, numerous wives and relatives of servicemen staged protests outside the parliament, demanding the inclusion of mobilization deadlines.

Learn more about the war effort in Ukraine at UkraineWitness.com.

Watch this clip from Fox News reporting on how NATO member nations are stepping up to help Ukraine.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.