Defence minister prioritises quality over speed in universal conscription

Lithuania’s Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas says the country should focus on properly training conscripts before introducing universal conscription, LRT reported on Thursday.

“The principle itself is that, as a society, we must be as prepared as possible. That is what universal conscription is about,” Kaunas told journalists.

He said the scale and timing of the system should reflect the country’s infrastructure, military capacity, number of instructors and ability to train citizens effectively.

“Setting a date, saying that universal conscription will begin now and simply calling everyone up without properly preparing them is probably not our goal. Our goal is quality,” he said.

A survey commissioned by the Universal Defence association and presented last week found that 76 percent of Lithuania’s residents support introducing universal conscription. More than half said they would like it to be introduced before 2030.

Kaunas said the Defence Ministry would analyse the survey results and conduct further assessments if necessary. He said the ministry and the military were discussing the issue, which he described as a high priority, and would present proposals after agreeing on the relevant figures.

“Let us not tie ourselves to 2030 or to any specific number. It may be possible earlier, or objective reasons may mean it happens later,” the minister said.

Universal conscription has not yet been introduced in Lithuania. Army Commander General Raimundas Vaikšnoras has said the military currently has enough male conscripts to meet its needs.

Vaikšnoras told BNS that the army aims by 2030 to enlist almost everyone who wants and is able to serve, reaching 7,000 to 8,000 conscripts through various forms of service. About 5,000 people are expected to be called up in 2026.

Conscripts generally serve for nine months, although this year they gained the option of completing mandatory military service in three, six or nine months. School graduates aged 18 to 22 are also being called up, with the number expected to increase each year.

Some politicians say these measures represent progress towards universal conscription. President Gitanas Nausėda has said that Lithuania’s transition to universal conscription is only a matter of time as the country forms a national division.