Macron's call to arms: France prepares its young to face future Russian threat

President's decision to bring back military service comes after moves by Poland and Germany to send Moscow a message

- Kim Willsher

LEFT President Macron inspects troops at Varces in southeast France. Thomas Padilla/Getty

(Thomas Padilla/Getty)

European countries are preparing their young to face a future war with a level of compulsory and voluntary enlistment programmes not seen since the end of the Second World War.

Fears of a military threat from Russia, coupled with dwindling US interest in defending its transatlantic allies, are driving leaders to beef up their armed forces and reintroduce military service.

France became the latest nation to announce changes last week when President Emmanuel Macron said he would bring in a form of military service to combat “accelerating threats” in global relations, 28 years after the end of conscription.

“France cannot remain idle... at a time when all our European allies advance in response to a threat that weighs on us all,” Macron said.

In the wake of Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, central and eastern European countries, particularly those that border Russia or were previously under Soviet control or influence, ramped up their armed forces.