If Europe was at war, who would be called up first?

How quickly could Britons be trained for combat in Europe? Guy Walters looks at the MoD scheme that turns Ukrainian civilians into soldiers, and asks if it could work for the UK

- Guy Walters

When news broke this week of Russian drones encroaching on Polish airspace, it was not only Warsaw and Brussels that jolted to attention. Across Europe, and here in the UK, the grim question has once again surfaced: how prepared would we be, really, if the unthinkable happened and a major war broke out on our continent? Nato chiefs have been blunt, warning that civilians must be ready to play their part. And that raises a sobering thought: if war came, would we actually have the manpower for battle? Who would fight, and how quickly could civilians become soldiers?

This question may sound abstract in Britain in 2025. We have become used to thinking of our armed forces as a lean, professional volunteer body – a far cry from the days of mass mobilisation. Yet events in Poland, and Nato’s warnings about civilian preparedness, remind us that conflicts in Europe can escalate with terrifying speed. If deterrence failed, Britain would be faced with the reality of having to field far more troops than our current army of just over 70,000 regular full-time personnel could muster.

I have seen with my own eyes how civilians can, with the right training, be turned into credible fighting men. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has been leading Operation Interflex, a multinational training programme for Ukrainian soldiers, since 2022. Initially a basic combat course for civilians, it has evolved into a seven-week programme with advanced leadership and instructor training, tailored to the needs of the Ukrainian armed forces.

Last year, on a bleak training ground in southern England, I watched a squad of six young Ukrainians approach a dummy house. They moved silently, almost like dancers, flowing into positions they had drilled over and over. Within a minute, the “house” was cleared. This was no Hollywood shoot-’em-up. It was urban warfare training – cold, efficient, and absolutely real in its purpose.