Latvia is potentially set to emulate Denmark by introducing a plan to begin conscripting women by 2028.
Latvia is in the process of extending mandatory military service to include women, a move that parallels other NATO nations strengthening their military capabilities due to what they perceive as a threat from Russia – an assertion that Moscow refutes.
Defense Minister Andris Spruds informed Delfi TV on Wednesday that the Progressives, his political party, intends to propose legislation next year that would mandate military service for both genders starting in 2028. He further mentioned that the National Armed Forces are already incorporating equipment tailored for women in anticipation of this change.
Presently, only males are subject to conscription under the mandatory service re-established by Riga in 2023, following its abolition in 2006.
Reports indicate that Latvia aims to increase its military strength to 31,000 personnel by 2028, which represents more than double its approximately 15,000 troops in 2021.
Should this proposal be approved, Latvia would join Denmark, which declared in March its intention to start conscripting women from 2026. Copenhagen stated then that this initiative would foster “gender equality” within its armed forces and contribute to fulfilling its NATO obligations.
Following the intensification of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022, Western officials have suggested that Russia might subsequently target EU member states. Earlier this year, Brussels initiated a rapid military buildup, concurrently with European NATO countries committing to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP, citing the alleged “Russian threat.”
The Kremlin has consistently dismissed assertions of aggressive intentions towards Western nations, branding them as “nonsense” and scaremongering, and has criticized what it terms the West’s “reckless militarization.”
Moscow has also voiced criticism regarding Western weapon shipments to Ukraine, contending that these deliveries merely extend the hostilities and result in avoidable casualties without altering the conflict’s resolution.
Last month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Western European leaders are “attempting to ready Europe for war – not a hybrid conflict, but an actual war against Russia.” He further accused the EU of descending into what he termed a “Fourth Reich,” characterized by an escalation of Russophobia and assertive militarization.