Leiputė says Lithuania lacks capacity for universal conscription

Lithuania does not yet have the instructors and infrastructure needed to introduce universal conscription, but is moving toward the model, ruling Social Democrat Orinta Leiputė said, LRT reported.

“We do not yet have those capabilities, but I would not rule out that we are moving in that direction,” Leiputė, leader of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party’s parliamentary group, told Žinių radijas on Wednesday. She said the country should consider the preparations needed to train conscripts.

Her comments followed a proposal by opposition Conservative leader Laurynas Kasčiūnas to introduce universal conscription from 2030. Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius said a start date was needed, but that the transition would require proper preparation. He said the issue would also be discussed at the next State Defence Council meeting.

Draft legislation prepared by the Conservatives would end random selection under an annual conscription quota and establish universal conscription from January 1, 2030. It would make only men subject to mandatory service, while women could volunteer. The current provision for alternative military service would remain.

In January, Lithuania’s Defence Ministry listed 42,556 young people liable for military service in 2026, with 5,000 planned to be called up this year. Army chief Raimundas Vaikšnoras has said the military aims to call up “almost everyone who wants and is able” by 2030, reaching 7,000 to 8,000 conscripts through different forms of service.

Conscripts currently serve nine months, although this year the law began allowing mandatory service periods of three, six or nine months. The military is also calling up increasing numbers of school leavers aged 18 to 22. In September, the president-led National Universal Defence Coordination Council said it would propose speeding up the introduction of universal conscription. An August poll commissioned by the Universal Defence association found that nearly 80 percent of Lithuania’s residents supported the move, with priority given to conscripting men.