President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview for the British TV program Channel 4 News that he does not need the General Staff to mobilise 500,000 Ukrainians.
“I don’t see the point in mobilizing half a million people right now,” Zelenskyy said. “I’m not saying this just to get people to like me.”
The president outlined three main arguments against mass mobilization at this stage. Firstly, he prioritizes saving lives over operations. “This is more than just lives; lives are the top priority,” Zelenskyy said.
Secondly, the president questioned whether large-scale mobilization is appropriate and necessary. “I haven’t seen sufficient evidence to conclude that half a million should be mobilized,” he said.
Thirdly, Zelenskyy raised concerns over the costs of paying and training 500,000 soldiers. “All that funding doesn’t come from our partners, and I want everyone to understand that,” he explained.
However, the president said he believes further mobilization is required to rotate soldiers at the front.
In a recent press conference on 19 December, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that Ukrainian military leadership proposed an additional mobilization of 450,000 to 500,000 individuals.
Zelenskyy stated that the military leadership raised the issue at the strategic level, addressing concerns related to the protection of the state, potential counteroffensive actions, and resource deficits.
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