In Britain, conscription was abolished in 1960. It was introduced only at the beginning of both world wars.
The UK should introduce compulsory military service and generally prepare for a possible total mobilization to deter Russian aggression. Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins stated this in an interview with The Telegraph.
He noted that Latvia, which shares a border with Russia, resumed military service after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. All able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 27 are now required to serve 11 months in the army.
Asked whether the UK and other countries should look at the Latvian model, Karins said: “We would strongly recommend it. We are developing and fleshing out a system of what we call total defence, involving all parts of civil society.”
Karins noted that Latvia has borrowed from the experience of Finland, which has a small standing army, “but a very large, very well trained” reserve for the duration of the war.
Tobias Ellwood, a former minister and former chairman of the British Parliament’s defense committee, said Britain should take Carins’ proposal seriously.
“Having recently visited Finland, I clearly saw that they have the most impressive ‘total defense’ model in NATO. As Putin secures another six years in office and seeks to emulate Stalin and expand his influence, we must also reconsider our total defense model.” – Ellwood said.
Meanwhile, Carins notes that Europe will have to deal with “dangerous Russia” for a long time. In his opinion, Russia’s “imperialist ambitions” will outlive Putin himself.
Russian threat to Europe: latest news
As wrote, German intelligence services predict that Moscow could double its military power over the next five years. But it may attack NATO countries in the near future. This is indicated by the noticeable preparation of Russians for a fundamental conflict with the West – the restructuring of the army, the movement of troops and the deployment of missiles in the west of the country.
It is noteworthy that Russia does not hide its aggressive plans. The other day, the current Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, called Latvia a non-existent country and threatened to execute its president.
