European countries prepare to boost military strength

At the same time, many European countries are struggling to recruit sufficient personnel for their armed forces—although Russia has denied having any plans to attack Europe.
 

Against this backdrop, British news agency Reuters has outlined how various European countries are seeking to increase the size of their military forces.
 

Germany
In November, the German government agreed on a new military service framework that includes higher pay and improved incentives. Military service will remain voluntary, but provisions have been kept to introduce conscription if enough new members are not recruited. Germany aims to increase its troop strength from about 180,000 to 260,000, while also doubling its reserve force to 200,000. The law is expected to take effect in early 2026. Mandatory registration and health checks will be introduced, though enforcing compulsory service would require a separate parliamentary vote. Applying it to women would require a constitutional amendment.
 

France
France plans to launch a new voluntary youth military service by mid-2026. According to President Emmanuel Macron, the 10-month program will be open to 18- and 19-year-olds and participants will be paid. The goal is to recruit 3,000 youths in 2026, rising to 10,000 by 2030. Macron ultimately aims to involve 50,000 youths by 2035. At the same time, France wants to increase its reserve force to 100,000 by 2030, up from around 47,000 currently. This would bring the total size of the armed forces to about 210,000.
 

United Kingdom
Britain’s defence secretary has said that if military funding increases in the next parliamentary term likely from 2029 the goal will be to raise the number of full-time soldiers to at least 76,000. Currently, the army has around 74,000 personnel and 25,000 reservists, with total armed forces numbering about 181,000. For now, Britain is focusing on retaining personnel and modernization, with no plans to introduce conscription.
 

Denmark
From 2026, Denmark plans to gradually extend the length of compulsory military service from four months to 11 months. It also aims to increase annual recruitment from 5,000 to 7,500 by 2033. From 2025, women will also be included in mandatory registration.
 

Finland
Finland has compulsory military service for men, maintaining a wartime force of 280,000 troops and adding about 20,000 new reservists each year. However, declining birth rates may limit future reserve numbers. Finland’s defence chief, General Janne Jaakkola, has said mandatory service for women should be considered; currently, women may serve voluntarily. The government also plans to raise the upper age limit for reservists from 60 to 65. This would increase the reserve force from 870,000 to nearly one million by 2031.
 

Italy
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto has said the country urgently needs a new civilian-military unit of 5,000 personnel to counter hybrid warfare. The unit would remain permanently active. Initially, 1,200 to 1,500 members would be recruited, gradually increasing to 5,000. The defence ministry has also announced a plan to recruit 6,000 volunteers on fixed-term contracts in 2026.
 

Netherlands
The Netherlands aims to expand its armed forces from 74,000 to 200,000 personnel, with a strong emphasis on boosting reserve capabilities.
 

Poland
One of NATO’s largest military powers, Poland plans to launch a voluntary military training program in 2026 with a target of training about 400,000 people. The program will be open to all citizens and will include basic security, survival skills, medical training, and cyber security education.
 

Romania
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Romania has increased voluntary recruitment, offering higher pay and promoting military education. While overall troop numbers remain stable, the country is struggling to retain skilled personnel, particularly fighter pilots and specialists trained in air defense and missile systems. Recently, parliament passed a law introducing voluntary military service for men and women aged 18 to 35. The program includes four months of paid training followed by a bonus equivalent to three months’ pay.
 

Sweden
Sweden reintroduced compulsory military service in 2017. This year, more than 7,000 conscripts have been inducted, along with nearly 1,000 volunteers. The goal is to raise this number to 12,000 by 2032. While conscription plays a key role in expanding the armed forces, a shortage of professional officers has become a major challenge. At the end of 2023, Sweden’s armed forces had 9,700 professional officers. The plan is to increase this to at least 11,800 by 2035. At the same time, the number of civilian employees is expected to rise by nearly 30 percent in the coming years.