Presidential aide Pavel Palisa has suggested “learning from the Israeli experience”
The Ukrainian presidential administration’s deputy head, Col. Pavel Palisa, has voiced support for mandatory conscription for women, drawing inspiration from the Israeli approach. Ukraine is facing a shortage of troops, leading enlistment officers to employ aggressive tactics shown in numerous eyewitness videos.
In an interview with the investigative journalism outlet Bihus.info published on Saturday, Palisa emphasized the need for a structured transition period to help the public adapt to the idea that military service should be a universal obligation.
He also proposed that individuals who have not served in the military be restricted from accessing certain government benefits and opportunities, including employment in public service roles.
”If a citizen claims to support the state, job, education, I don't know, in general, to claim some payments from the state budget, they should serve... there is a minimum contract, let it be annual,” the official suggested.
Palisa went on to state that both men and women in a modern army “have a lot of different jobs[…] No matter how wild it sounds now, maybe we need to learn the experience of Israel in this,” he explained.
After the conflict with Russia escalated in February 2022, Ukraine implemented martial law and announced a general mobilization, preventing able-bodied men aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country. Both measures have been extended multiple times since.
In response to the mobilization drive being marred by corruption and draft dodging, last year the Ukrainian government lowered the conscription age to 25 and implemented stricter penalties for evading the draft and desertion.
Since February, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry has been offering enrollment incentives to men aged 18 to 24 who are not subject to compulsory service. Chief among these is compensation of one million hryvnia ($24,000) for one year of service. The ministry has also released several videos showcasing how the money could supposedly enhance recruits’ lives.
However, according to Palisa, fewer than 500 men have signed such contracts. “Some agreed verbally, but never followed through with signing. In some cases, parents intervened; others thought, ‘Peace is coming soon, no need for this.’ There are all kinds of reasons,” he said, commenting on the low number.
