As France prepares military expansion, how is Europe beefing up its armies?

"France will this week become the latest EU country to set out plans to expand its army, with Emmanuel Macron expected to announce on Thursday that military service will be restored albeit on a voluntary basis nearly 30 years after the end of conscription. In the face of Russia's military threat and uncertainty over the US's commitment to defending its transatlantic allies, Europe is rushing to bolster its defence industry and its deployment capability after radically cutting them back since the cold war."

"Despite significant losses in its war on Ukraine, Russia is perceived by European militaries as a potential direct threat within two to five years. Meanwhile, Washington has made it clear that it expects its EU allies to take care of much more of their own defence. But if the issue of defence industry investment is chiefly economic, the question of how to significantly expand the number of full-time armed services members is also very much societal and is leading to heated debates across several countries."

"The thinktank wrote in a recent report: Most European armies struggle to meet their recruitment targets and retain trained personnel, as well as to generate a sufficient reserve. Sophia Besch, a defence specialist at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said growing military personnel shortfalls were forcing more and more western European countries to explore various kinds of conscription models."

France will restore voluntary military service nearly 30 years after the end of conscription. Europe is bolstering its defence industry and deployment capability in response to Russia's military threat and uncertainty about US commitment. European militaries perceive Russia as a potential direct threat within two to five years. Washington expects EU allies to assume more responsibility for their own defence. Defence industry investment is chiefly economic, while expanding full-time armed forces is a societal challenge that sparks heated domestic debates. Many European armies struggle to meet recruitment targets, retain trained personnel and generate sufficient reserves, requiring intensified training and reservist reactivation.

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