Kellogg Backs Mobilization of Ukrainian Women
Former US presidential envoy Keith Kellogg said Ukraine should mobilize women into its Defense Forces, arguing they fight as effectively as men. Citing his own wife’s and daughter’s experience, he pointed to women already serving in combat roles and said their participation is an important part of society’s contribution to the war.
Retired US Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg recently advocated for the mobilization of women into Ukraine’s Defense Forces, asserting their combat capabilities are on par with men. Speaking with Anna Maksymchuk on Naspravdi MAX’s YouTube channel on August 24, Kellogg emphasized that women’s military service should be acknowledged as a vital societal contribution to the ongoing war.
"Do I think women should be mobilized into the army? My answer is yes, because they fight just as well as men," Kellogg stated. Drawing from his family’s military background, including his wife and daughter’s service, Kellogg found no significant barriers to women joining the military, either personally or professionally. His daughter had graduated from a US military academy and served in Afghanistan, while his wife was a paratrooper who participated in combat operations in Grenada.
Currently, Ukraine permits women to enlist in the Armed Forces voluntarily, though certain categories, like medical or pharmaceutical professionals, must register for compulsory service, which does not guarantee combat roles. Meanwhile, Ukrainian women are increasingly assuming hazardous humanitarian roles, such as delivering aid in combat zones and serving as evacuation medics, as the war has depleted male volunteers.
At the conservative international forum "35 Years of Faith and Freedom" held in Kyiv on August 23, Kellogg lauded Ukrainian women already serving in the military, praising their courage in overcoming gender barriers. He further honored Ukrainian veterans as "the living embodiment of Ukraine’s will to be free," stressing their pivotal role in the country’s postwar recovery.
Kellogg called on Ukraine to offer these veterans proper medical care, psychological support, and fair reintegration, warning that "a nation that forgets its defenders and heroes forgets itself." Former Vice President Mike Pence also attended the forum, which aimed to promote and strengthen Western values like faith in God, respect for freedom, security, and private property.
Pence recalled the Soviet Union's collapse due to corruption and oppression, asserting that history taught the world that power ultimately lies with the people, not the tyrant. The forum also introduced the "Faith and Freedom Center," a think tank dedicated to crafting documents and recommendations for applying conservative strategies in Ukraine’s reconstruction.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
