Ukraine has made progress addressing its troop shortages in the ongoing war with Russia, according to the top US military commander in Europe.
Ukraine did faced manpower challenges in its military due to a shortage of new recruits and the exhaustion of existing troops after years of war with Russia. The country’s efforts to address these issues have been reportedly hindered by political delays, widespread evasion of conscription, and societal reluctance to join the military.
However, US Army General Christopher Cavoli said on 3 April that Ukraine has resolved some of its manpower issues, partly by expanding the pool of eligible recruits.
“Ukraine appears to have resolved some of its shortages of troops fighting against Russia, including by widening the pool of eligible recruits,” Cavoli said.
The general also emphasized that continued US military aid remains crucial for Ukraine. He warned that any interruption in American weapons and intelligence support would severely impact Ukraine’s war effort, despite Kyiv’s attempts to find alternative suppliers.
This assessment comes after a recent diplomatic incident between the United States and Ukraine. President Donald Trump temporarily suspended some assistance to Ukraine following a contentious meeting in the Oval Office with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
During that meeting, Vice President JD Vance reportedly expressed concerns about Ukraine’s troop shortages. President Trump told Zelenskyy that Ukraine “doesn’t have the cards” to end the war without US backing.
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