Lithuanian military plans gradual move to universal conscription

Lithuania plans to introduce universal conscription for young people gradually, with the number called up expected to reach 8,000 in 2032, the Lithuanian Armed Forces said in a Facebook post, according to LRT.

This year, 4,900 young people were called up, 1,000 more than last year. The military said the figure would be about 8,000 if all healthy Lithuanian men of the relevant age were called up now.

After a State Defense Council meeting this week, President Gitanas Nausėda said Lithuania was considering introducing universal conscription from 2032. The military plans to call up young people twice a year, in summer and winter. Nine months of compulsory service would remain the main model.

The military expects more than 5,000 people to be called up in 2027 and nearly 6,000 in 2028. The number is forecast to exceed 6,000 in 2029, reach nearly 7,000 in 2030 and surpass 7,000 in 2031, before reaching 8,000 in 2032.

The Armed Forces said that increasing the number of conscripts would also require more professional soldiers and infrastructure. A gradual transition would help expand reserve training while maintaining existing capabilities, including the personnel, training grounds and ammunition needed by current and developing military units. The military said three years remained to form and prepare the First Division.

The timetable reflects an assessment of the military’s capacity, including the quality of reserve training, additional funding needs, suitable accommodation for conscripts and the time required to prepare instructors. Women are not currently set to be conscripted and would be invited to serve voluntarily. Nausėda has estimated that implementing universal conscription could cost about 120 million euros.