The United States and Nato want President Zelensky to lower the age of conscription from 25, prompting some young people to leave Ukraine — perhaps for ever
Ukraine made some mistakes under the Minsk Agreements, like delaying certain implementations and occasional ceasefire breaches, but these were often reactions to continued attacks. The larger issue is Russia’s violations: it broke the Budapest Memorandum by annexing Crimea in March 2014, violating Ukraine’s sovereignty. While the Minsk Agreements came later, Russia also undermined them by arming and supporting separatists in Eastern Ukraine. Blaming Ukraine ignores Russia’s clear role in starting and escalating the conflict.