An even greater threat of a large-scale war with Russia looms over Europe, – CNN Vladislav Kravtsov Europe is rethinking the return to urgent service/Collage 24 Channel Before the start of a full-scale war in Ukraine in European countries, including Kiev, were skeptical that large-scale military action could return to the continent. However, European capitals are now seriously considering this potential scenario. CNN journalists said that more than 2 years after the start of large-scale hostilities in Ukraine, more and more European countries are thinking about returning military service to their armies. The authors of the material said that several European countries have reintroduced or expanded compulsory military service amid a growing threat from Moscow. Robert Hamilton, director of Eurasian studies at the Foreign Policy Research Institute who served as a U.S. Army officer for 30 years, noted that these actions are part of a series of defense enhancements that are likely to be further increased. “We are coming to realize that we may have to change the way we mobilize for war and the way we produce military equipment and recruit and train personnel,” he said. Risks Greater war in Europe grew after Russian President Putin resorted to open conflict in Ukraine in pursuit of his goal of “rebuilding the Soviet empire,” said General Wesley Clark (ret.), who served as Supreme Allied Commander Europe. < /p> A number of European countries ended compulsory conscription after the end of the Cold War, but several countries – particularly in Scandinavia and the Baltics – have reinstated them in recent years, mainly due to the threat from Russia. In some countries, refusing military service can result in fines or even imprisonment. Latvia was one of the last to introduce conscription. On January 1 this year, compulsory military service, which was abolished in 2006, was restored. Male citizens must enlist within 12 months of turning 18 or completing their education for those still studying. In April, Norway unveiled an ambitious long-term plan that almost will double the country's defense budget and add more than 20,000 active duty soldiers, service members and reservists to the armed forces. Conscription is mandatory in Norway, and the country became the first member in 2015 NATO defense alliance, which calls for men and women on equal terms.Europeans are thinking about the return of compulsory military service
Changes regarding conscription are also taking place in other European countries< /h2>
The material says that discussions about conscription are also ongoing in other European countries where it currently does not exist. In Britain, the Conservatives floated the idea of military service during their election campaign.
But perhaps the most surprising transformation is taking place in Germany, which has sought to avoid significant militarization since the end of World War II. For the first time since the Cold War, Germany this year updated its plan for conflict in Europe, and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius introduced a proposal for new voluntary military service in June.
But not all European states are ready to respond to this challenge. In Lithuania, for example, opinions about military service among students vary, said Paulus Vaitekus, president of the Lithuanian National Union of Students.
Since the country reintroduced compulsory military service in 2015 due to “changes in the geopolitical situation,” approximately 3,500 – 4,000 Lithuanians aged 18 to 26 are recruited annually for nine months of military service.
With conscription remaining an unpopular topic in some countries, NATO is trying to reach its new goal of having 300,000 troops ready to be activated within one month and another half a million within six months, said Sean Monaghan, visiting fellow program “Europe, Russia and Eurasia” of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
While NATO said it had already achieved this goal, The EU said it would be difficult for its members. NATO relies on American forces to achieve its goal. European allies need to find new ways to build military personnel. “Something needs to be done here,” he said.
Another problem is that this goal would only allow NATO to fight a relatively short conflict lasting up to six months, Monaghan added.
Europe must seek new models of military service
One of NATO's newest members, Finland, has the capacity to draw on more than 900,000 reservists, with 280,000 troops ready to respond immediately if needed. However, in peacetime the Finnish Defense Forces employ only about 13,000 people, including civilian personnel.
Finland is a good example because its reserve forces can be integrated into a very small active force, said Hamilton of the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Historically, Finland was “wedged” between NATO and the Soviet Union, without joining either, so it needed to defend itself, he explained.
Norway and Sweden have similar models. Both countries have significant reservists, though not as many as Finland.
Sweden, where conscription is now also gender-neutral, will call up about 7,000 men in 2024. According to the Swedish Armed Forces, this number will increase to 8,000 in 2025.
Is NATO Ready for a Possible War with Russia
Over the past decade, NATO has been reviewing its strategy and building up its capabilities in response to the growing threat from Moscow. Russia's full-scale attack on Ukraine in 2022 has inevitably prompted allies to reassess whether they are ready for war and to strengthen their defenses.
Since 2014, NATO has undergone the most significant transformation of our collective defense in a generation. “We have put in place the most comprehensive defence plans since the Cold War, with more than 500,000 troops on high alert,” NATO spokeswoman Farah Dakhlallah told CNN.
While NATO allies are “certainly ready to fight tonight,” there is still a question mark over whether they are ready for a long war like the one in Ukraine, said Sean Monaghan, noting that there is still work to be done in a number of areas. These include industrial capacity, defence spending and the resilience of society – which includes the issue of conscription.
How they recruit and train their military personnel is a decision for individual countries, Dakhlallah said. At the same time, the NATO spokeswoman added that, as an alliance, the bloc does not provide for compulsory military service.
