Senior military figures are warning that the UK and its allies must prepare for a potential major conflict in Europe, with Russia cited as the primary threat. The head of the British Army, General Sir Patrick Sanders, has called for a 'citizen army' to be ready, though he stopped short of advocating for conscription.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has stated that the country is moving from a 'post war to a pre-war world', while Nato's military committee chief, Admiral Rob Bauer, urged the public to change their mindset for an era 'when anything can happen at any time'. Germany's Defence Minister Boris Pistorius warned that Russia could attack a Nato country within five to eight years.
General Sanders emphasised that 'Ukraine really matters', arguing that Russia's ambitions extend beyond territory to defeating Western systems and ways of life. He noted that the British Army has shrunk from over 100,000 in 2010 to around 73,000 now, and needs to grow to 120,000 with reserves, but even that may not be enough. He proposed designing the army to expand rapidly, enabling a citizen army to follow.
European nations closer to Russia are taking the threat more seriously. Sweden's civil defence minister warned that 'there could be a war in Sweden', urging citizens to join voluntary defence organisations. Finland, which shares an 800-mile border with Russia, maintains a large reserve force through conscription, with 80% of males completing military service.
In the UK, National Service ended in 1960, and there are no plans to reintroduce it. General Sanders believes in a professional volunteer army but stressed that troop numbers would be insufficient in a conflict, citing Ukraine as an example where 'regular armies start wars; citizen armies win them'.
