The United Kingdom needs to introduce military conscription in order to deter Russia. This statement was made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Krisjanis Karins, in an interview with the British newspaper The Telegraph.
“We strongly recommend doing so,” he claims.
According to the minister’s assessment, the authorities of the United Kingdom will inevitably have to increase military spending to up to 3% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Karins recommended other NATO countries to consider the model of “total defense,” according to which a large number of citizens can be promptly called up into the army. As an example, the head of the ministry mentioned Finland, where there is a large and well-prepared reserve in case of war, despite the small size of the permanent army contingent.
In February, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated that “naive” Europe should avoid the mistakes of the 1930s by intensifying and expanding its defense industries for “deterrence against Russia.”
It was previously reported that Germany was developing a plan to deter Russia.
[Additional Context: It is important to note that the statements made by Karins and Frederiksen are part of a growing concern among some European countries regarding Russia’s actions in recent years. The annexation of Crimea, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and Russia’s military activities near NATO borders have raised alarms among NATO member states. The calls for increased defense spending and military preparedness are seen as necessary measures to ensure the security and stability of the region.]
