Conscription Debate Flares: Europe Divided on Mandatory Military Service
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics advocates for increased European defense spending and the adoption of conscription, citing Europe’s current military weakness. He emphasizes the need for concrete actions, not just declarations, particularly concerning increased NATO presence on the Baltic borders with Russia. Rinkevics acknowledges strong US-Latvian cooperation but stresses the importance of Europe’s independent strengthening, including increased military capacity. He considers the Baltic states a crucial test of NATO’s effectiveness and underlines the alliance’s reliance on Article Five’s collective defense commitment.
John Q. Hosedrinker