'Women fight no worse than men' — Kellogg backs expansion of Ukraine's mobilization
on Google
Former U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg said he supports the mobilization of Ukrainian women into the military in an interview with the Naspravdi MAX YouTube channel published on Aug. 24.
"So do I believe women should be mobilized into the army? My answer is yes, because they fight no worse than men," Kellogg said in an interview.
Kellogg added that it is "very important for women, as part of society, to serve," saying he saw no problem with the idea "personally or professionally."
Kellogg pointed to the military service of women in his own family. His daughter graduated from the U.S. Military Academy and served in Afghanistan, while his wife served as a paratrooper in Grenada.
Kellogg's comments come as Ukraine continues to face manpower shortages after more than four years of full-scale war, amid growing debate over how the country can replenish its military ranks.
Former Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov recently said Ukraine should consider making military service an obligation for all citizens, regardless of gender.
"If we really want to solve this problem, we need to look at the successful experience of countries that have it. The country closest to us today in terms of the level of threat is Israel, where women serve in the military just like men," Reznikov told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on Aug. 21.
Reznikov said mobilizing women could double the number of people available for military service. He said women could fill roles away from the front, allowing more men to move into combat positions.
He added that parliament would need to change Ukrainian law to make this possible.
