CNN
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European international locations ought to “completely” be introducing conscription to fight the specter of Russian aggression, Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs mentioned Sunday, as Europe grows increasingly concerned in regards to the trajectory of the battle in Ukraine.
Latvia reintroduced obligatory navy service for grownup males on January 1 final yr, having abolished it in 2006. The Baltic nation shares a 180-mile border with Russia to its east and is especially weak to Russian aggression.
European leaders met on Thursday in Brussels for emergency talks on the Ukraine battle and European protection, vowing to rearm the continent after the USA threatened to tear up 80 years of safety ensures.
Requested if European companions needs to be following Latvia’s determination to reintroduce obligatory navy service, Rinkēvičs instructed Sky Information: “Sure… seeing what is occurring on the planet, the choice that we took, and sure certainly, we had fairly a dialogue again in 2022 and that call was taken by the Parliament.”
“Many different European international locations must observe that,” he added.
Requested once more if he thinks different European international locations ought to take choices much like that of Latvia by way of protection spending and conscription, Rinkēvičs mentioned “completely.”
A number of European international locations halted obligatory conscription after the top of the Chilly Warfare, however plenty of nations – notably in Scandinavia and the Baltics – have reintroduced it in recent times, largely due to the Russian risk.
Failure to enlist can lead to fines and even jail time in some international locations.
Rinkēvičs instructed Sky Information that there had additionally been dialogue in his nation about whether or not there’s a must introduce conscription for ladies.
“At the moment, that’s not a call that has been taken,” he mentioned. “There is no authorized obligation for that… This can be a debate however there are not any choices taken.”
The president added that he understood that “persons are slightly bit nervous” in regards to the state of affairs, however mentioned that “after all, a powerful reassurance is one factor, one other factor is the true motion that’s being taken by the Latvian authorities, by different European governments, to guarantee that all of us get stronger.”
Radina Gigova contributed to this report.
