Russian military threat prompts urgent conscription debate in Europe

Countries under intense pressure to expand ranks as fewer than one-third of EU citizens are willing to fight

- Patricia Cohen

The drones that have veered near airports in Germany, Poland, Belgium and Estonia and frequent incidents of sabotage are chilling reminders of how Russia's relentless war in Ukraine could easily spill into Europe.

The threat has put intense pressure on countries across the continent and in Britain to quickly expand the ranks of full-time soldiers and reservists that shrank during the post-Cold War peace. Yet the question of how to recruit hundreds of thousands of service members is prompting fierce and soul-searching debates.

After bitter disagreements that touched on economics, politics and military strategy, the German government decided to forgo mandatory military service in favour of a volunteer force although it left the door open to a draft if the number of recruits falls short.

Croatia took a different path and, a few weeks earlier, restored conscription, which had been abolished 18 years ago.

In Poland, plans are under way for every man to go through military training as the country's Prime Minister, Mr Donald Tusk, aims to more than double its army, to 500,000 from 200,000.

And Denmark, which wants to grow its forces from 70,000 to 200,000 by 2030, extended its draft to include women and prolong the service period to 11 months from four. "The defence needs all the fighting power we can mobilise," said Mr Michael W. Hyldgaard, Denmark's defence chief.

Other countries vow to do a better job of attracting volunteers to fulfil national targets and commitments to NATO.

France announced plans to roll out an optional military service programme in 2026. And Britain hired a private recruitment company to create a streamlined process in 2027 to rebuild its depleted ranks.