Latvian President Egils Levits said Monday that Latvia might raise its military spending and introduce compulsory military service for its citizens regardless of their gender in response to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks said last week that the Baltic nation will reinstate compulsory military service for men. Latvia previously had a draft but scrapped the policy in the mid-2000s. Levits said he wants the draft to apply to both men and women.
“I think we should have equality in this respect and I support this idea for all Latvian citizens of specific age … this should be done independently of their sex,” Levits told Reuters.
Several European nations still practice compulsory military service, including Latvia’s fellow Baltic states of Lithuania and Estonia. Lithuania restarted mandatory conscription in 2015 for all men aged 19-26, who are picked randomly. About 2% of Lithuanian men in the age bracket are selected for military service for a period of nine months.
Levits also said Latvia will aim to increase military spending from about 2% of its gross domestic product (GDP) to 2.5%. Lithuania has said it will raise military spending to 3% as NATO countries in the region are further militarizing in response to Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
At the recent NATO summit in Madrid, the Baltic nations were promised larger troop contingents to be stationed in each country. Levits said that Latvia is already planning to spend on expanding military facilities to house more NATO troops.
Levits said he wants the draft to apply to both men and women. Great, so two wrongs make a right. As this is being insinuated into proposed US legislation just thought I’d mention it.
Another blow to the glass ceiling. Proving his probity to Biden, Kamala, and the Progressives, and worthiness of American taxpayer support.
It looks like Wokeism Disease will destroy Latvia
“Levits also said Latvia will aim to increase military spending from about 2% of its gross domestic product (GDP) to 2.5%.”
So, what does that get them? Without even looking up their GDP, I can’t imagine that extra %.5 means any more than an extra 15 minutes of existence.
~$160 million more. Probably less now with the Euro tanking to parity. Maybe one and a half F35s.
The Russian invasion is causing nations to increase their national debt in ways that do not benefit the citizens.
Baltic states ever since cold war had bern discovering their identity. Lacking the history of statesmanship they suffer from problemms similar to many countries around tge world that entered tge post cold war era with weaknesses and dependences. They became an experimental entities in application of liberal economics. The debt drove many young out of the country as they could not remove debt after foreclosure.
Current inflation is 30% and dependence on EU and Us is existential. If they sre ordered to militarize, they will. Ine more way to take on debt and provide artificial economy. This cannot last, but then they have no alterbatives.
the baltics are EU / NATO foot soldiers just like the poles. While the western european think they can sit back and make war with russia with bodies of dead baltics and poles , the ukraine SMO showed that russia can easily grind any ground forces that NATO send in.
The Baltic states are too small, too close to Russia, and too vulnerable to safely play that game. If the conventional war sh*t hits the fan, they’ll fall in days, not weeks. And the mid-term settlement of affairs may well not include re-independence for them.