Litwa planuje obowiązkowy pobór młodych mężczyzn od 2032 roku

In brief

• Lithuania's State Defence Council has decided to reintroduce universal conscription for young men from 2032.
• The measure would cover men aged 18 to 22 and raise annual call-ups from about 5,000 to about 7,500.
• The start date was chosen to allow time for infrastructure and instructor training, and the defence minister had floated 2030 earlier.

Decision and timeline

Lithuania's State Defence Council, which brings together the country's top leadership and national defence system heads, decided on Thursday to introduce universal military conscription from 2032 (В Литве договорились о всеобщем призыве для молодых мужчин – Charter 97). President Gitanas Nausėda said the later start date was chosen to give the state time to invest in suitable facilities for more recruits and in training instructors.

Who would be called up

Universal conscription would apply to men aged 18 to 22 (В Литве введут всеобщий призыв в армию с 2032 года – Meduza). Lithuania currently runs partial conscription. Women would still be able to serve on a voluntary basis, as they do now.

Numbers

• Currently: about 5,000 young men called up each year
• Under universal conscription: about 7,500 per year

Nausėda said the figure takes into account demographic trends and the number of young men who are unfit for service on health grounds.

Background

Compulsory service was abolished in Lithuania in 2008 and restored in 2015, after Russia annexed Crimea and officials cited growing threats. Initial compulsory service currently lasts nine months, or three months for those with a military specialty.

Wider debate

Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said Lithuania could move to universal conscription for young men from 2030, while acknowledging risks that decision-makers would need to weigh (Міністр оборони Литви допустив запровадження загальної військової служби з 2030-го – Українська правда). He argued that demographic decline is already pushing the country in that direction, since the number of eligible young citizens is shrinking. Earlier, the opposition Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats had proposed ending the random selection of conscripts and introducing universal conscription from 1 January 2030 (У Литві пропонують запровадити загальний призов на військову службу з 2030 року – Українська правда).