# Lithuania to introduce universal conscription for men from 2032, Defence Council decides

- URL: https://syn.by/en/state/lithuania-to-introduce-universal-conscription-for/
- Published: 2026-10-30T10:30:12+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-30T10:30:12+00:00
- Section: State
- Language: en
- RU edition: https://syn.by/ru/gosudarstvo/litva-s-2032-goda-vvyedyot-vsyeobshchiy.md
- BE edition: https://syn.by/dziarzhava/litva-z-2032-hoda-uviadzie-usieahulny.md

> President Gitanas Nausėda said so. According to him, about 7.5 thousand people will be called up into the army each year, instead of the current more than 5000.

![](https://syn.by/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/illustration-5748-1024x585.webp)

From 2032, Lithuania will switch to universal conscription of men for compulsory military service. The decision was made by the State Defence Council at a meeting chaired by President Gitanas Nausėda. At present, conscription in the country is selective.

"We have decided that universal conscription will be introduced from 2032," Nausėda said. After the council meeting he told journalists that a decision had been made to introduce universal military service from 2032.

The transition means an end to selective recruitment: compulsory service will extend to all men liable for conscription, except those with legal grounds for deferment or exemption.

Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius said he had counted on a faster transition, but the military leadership convinced politicians that the army would only be able to prepare by 2032. Originally the Seimas proposed introducing compulsory service on 1 January 2030, but after consultations with the army command the timeline was pushed back.

Nausėda clarified that service for young men will start precisely in 2032.

According to Nausėda, once the new system is in place, about 7.5 thousand young people will be called up every year. Currently about 5 thousand young men aged 18 to 22 go into the army, with a service term of up to 9 months.

Sinkevičius said this will require more than 300 instructors, additional premises and other infrastructure.

For women, service will remain voluntary. Nausėda noted, however, that "in the distant future" the question of compulsory conscription for them could also be considered.

Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas, according to Lithuanian media reports, said: "We are moving towards universal military service." He expressed the view that such conscription will not only strengthen defence but also teach people how to behave in crisis situations.

Compulsory conscription was restored in Lithuania in 2015, after Russia's annexation of Crimea. Currently those liable for service are selected from annual lists generated by a computer program.

In June 2026 it was reported that conscription was brought back in 2015 after being abolished in 2008, and was initially conceived as a temporary measure for five years.

The authorities also plan to expand the service options: conscripts will be able to learn to operate drones or help border guards and rescue services. In addition, Lithuania is considering buying the Palantir artificial intelligence system for its armed forces.