European Commissioner responds to claims that EU wants Ukraine to mobilize women
Illustrative photo: The EU is not forcing Ukraine to draft women (Getty Images)
The EU is not forcing Ukraine to mobilize women into the Armed Forces. Claims by Russian sources that Brussels is allegedly pressuring Ukraine because of a shortage of personnel are yet another Kremlin manipulation, states Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defense and Space, during his conversation with journalists in Brussels.
Response to Kremlin claims
The EU official stressed that information about demands to mobilize Ukrainian women is completely untrue.
"Now I have no information. I would say it would be strange if Europe will try to convince Ukrainians how to make mobilization, including the mobilization of women," the European Commissioner emphasized.
According to Kubilius, staffing and mobilization processes are exclusively the responsibility of the Ukrainian leadership and military command.
At the same time, the official considers the emergence of such claims from Russia predictable.
"I'm not surprised that comes from Kremlin," he added.
How military registration for women works in Ukraine
In Ukraine, the mobilization of women remains entirely voluntary.
Only female citizens who have medical or pharmaceutical education are required to register for military service.
However, being registered does not mean they will automatically be drafted or sent to the front.
What is known about the drafting of women in Ukraine
Rumors about the possible introduction of compulsory mobilization of women or their being wanted by Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers (TTsK) periodically cause concern in society.
Recently, a petition calling for the mobilization of women without children even appeared on the Cabinet of Ministers' website. Its author appealed to the "principle of equality of citizens."
However, the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council has repeatedly emphasized that such initiatives and Russian manipulations are aimed solely at dividing Ukrainian society.
Military service for Ukrainian women remains entirely voluntary. Even though some women learned that they were listed as "wanted" by TTsK because they had not registered for military service, this is related to other legal procedures.
