US Representative Victoria Spartz criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for insufficient military preparedness and inadequate support for the Ukrainian people.
In a CNN interview, Representative Spartz, the only Ukrainian-born member of the US Congress, stated that Zelenskyy had failed the Ukrainian people.
She accused Zelenskyy of failing to prepare Ukraine for the conflict with Russia and neglecting to properly support the military. Spartz asserted that Zelenskyy hadn’t implemented an effective military draft or addressed corruption, claiming he hadn’t adequately supported his people.
Drawing a comparison to Israel, Spartz suggested Ukraine wasn’t in a winning position and alleged Zelenskyy replaced key generals with more compliant individuals.
Regarding reports of US President Biden pressing Kyiv to lower the conscription age to 18, Spartz responded that a total national effort was required, citing the US’s own practice of deploying 18-year-olds. She emphasized the need for proper recruitment in this serious war, adding it should have been implemented two years prior and that some soldiers have served for extended periods without rotation.
She further stated, “When the Soviet Union fought WWII, from a little child to the old person, everyone contributed to the war,”
Spartz, born in 1978 in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, immigrated to the US in 2000, becoming a citizen six years later. Serving in Congress since 2021, she’s been a strong advocate for aid to Kyiv following the 2022 Russian military operation.
Recently, Kyiv has used coercive methods to recruit tens of thousands of new soldiers. One recruitment officer described his work as dealing with “cornered rats.”
Earlier this week, The Economist reported that Ukraine was “out of willing recruits” as it struggles to replenish its military forces. This spring, Kyiv significantly tightened mobilization rules, lowering the draft age from 27 to 25 to counter heavy losses, with officials hinting at further reductions.