![]() ![]() Poland introduced a new system of “paid voluntary general military service” in March. In April, the Dutch defence ministry reportedly began a study on introducing Scandinavian-style conscription over concerns that a quarter of military positions are currently unfilled. This should reduce the risk of Russia attacking Latvia at will," Artis Pabriks, the defence minister, has been quoted saying. " Latvian population must realise that in order to survive we simply must increase the share of population that has received military training and is ready to engage in combat. The bill, which must pass parliament, is expected to be introduced for next year. In early July, its defence ministry announced that men aged 18-27 will have to complete eleven months of military service. Vladimir Putin’s assault has provoked another rethink. #THOUSANDS OF YEARS LATER BASES FULL#Lithuania’s defence ministry launched a study on full conscription in January this year, before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine the following month. Soldiers from the Swedish Armed Forces stand in formation near the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden, Tuesday, May 17, 2022. Ukraine brought back conscription in 2014, which has allowed it to amass a vast army of professionals and reservists in its current war with Russia. Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 was the first shock that prompted several European governments to rethink military service. In 2006, Vienna reduced military service down to only six months. Only Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Cyprus, Greece, Austria and Switzerland have never abandoned conscription. But between 20, a vast swathe of Europe did away with national service. With no conflict west of the Balkans in almost half a century, grand armies of potentially hundreds of thousands of reservists seemed not just outdated but expensive.īritain had done away with military service in 1963 Belgium did so in 1992. Policymakers wanted their militaries staffed only with professionals. But the rest of Europe would follow suit. Across the continent, military service was on its last legs by the turn of the century. ![]()
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