Lithuania’s reintroduction of conscription is a clear response to the threat posed by Russia in the Baltics

Lithuania’s President, Dalia Grybauskaitė, has announced that the country will reintroduce conscription. Gerda Jakštaitė and Giedrius Česnakas write on the factors underpinning the policy, noting that while the decision was unexpected, it builds on growing concern within the country over its susceptibility to a Russian military intervention. The reintroduction of conscription is also likely to have an impact on key domestic issues, including Lithuania’s relatively high rate of emigration.