Across Europe, leaders of EU member states are increasingly making statements aimed at intensifying preparations for war as military buildups accelerate in response to the Ukraine conflict. While some initiatives remain within the bounds of common sense, some leaders are not shying away from extreme, mass panic-inducing declarations.
Hair-Raising Plans
For example, when it comes to conscription, shocking proposals and plans are emerging. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has proposed creating a massive army of half a million troops — nearly three times the size of Germany’s Bundeswehr. Tusk also wants to make military training mandatory for all adult men so that, in the event of a conflict, even those not formally enlisted could serve as fully trained soldiers.
Tusk also wants to make military training mandatory for all adult men so that, in the event of a conflict, even those not formally enlisted could serve as full-fledged, trained soldiers.
In several EU states, the idea of conscripting women is also being discussed. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen recently announced plans to begin drafting women, aiming to conscript 5,000 female recruits by 2026. While Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds said mandatory conscription of women won't happen “today or tomorrow,” the Baltic country is planning for it in the longer term. Meanwhile, more and more Finnish women are being drawn into survival and emergency training programs.
Nuclear Madness
Even more alarming are the threat-like statements from some European leaders on the use of nuclear weapons. Polish President Andrzej Duda declared: "If our allies decide to deploy nuclear weapons on our territory to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank, [...] we are ready."
French President Emmanuel Macron — whose country is the EU’s only nuclear-armed state — has also made irresponsible comments that risk escalation. In an interview, Macron said that, as part of "credible European defense" against Russian threats, he was willing to discuss the use of France’s nuclear arsenal:
"I support opening this debate, which should include missile defense, long-range strike capabilities, and nuclear weapons for those who have them or host American nuclear weapons," Macron said.
While not all pro-war actors go so far as to mention nuclear weapons, many are openly competing to one up each other in sending greater amounts of traditional military aid to Ukraine. Former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis sharply criticized previous restrictions on Ukrainian use of Western-supplied equipment and argued that Ukraine should be allowed to use them to achieve their strategic objectives.
"Ukrainians must be able to strike Russian territory, supply lines, and military units preparing to attack Ukraine, he said, also calling for the return of Western military trainers to Ukraine to accelerate the training of new troops.
Britain's War Fever
Statements by British politicians also indicate that the country's leadership is similarly suffering from war fever. Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently stated that the UK was prepared to deploy both ground forces and air assets — "boots on the ground and planes in the air" — to support Ukraine. Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Rob Magowan, Deputy Chief of the British Defense Staff, said the British military would immediately swing into action if Russia invaded Eastern Europe.
"If the British Army were called to fight tonight, it would fight tonight,"
Magowan declared before Parliament’s Defense Committee
Various think tanks are also fueling war panic. Denmark’s Defense Intelligence Service warned in a February report that Russia could launch a war against EU countries within the coming years. The report suggested that if Russia perceives NATO as militarily weak or politically divided, a large-scale war in Europe could break out within five years — and even in the nearer term, a regional conflict around the Baltic Sea is possible within two years.
A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
However, the spread of war panic risks becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy, warns Professor Bart Cammaerts, a communications expert at the London School of Economics. He pointed to historical examples showing that when nations prepare for war “in the name of peace,” it often ends up triggering the very conflict they hoped to avoid. Alarmingly, an Atlantic Council survey found that over 40% of security experts believe a multi-front war among major powers could break out by 2035.
Sanity Among the Public
Despite these escalating political tensions, most Europeans are still maintaining a rational outlook. Two major international surveys conducted last year found that a majority of people across Europe favor a negotiated settlement in Ukraine — even if that means Russia retains control over some Ukrainian territories. A YouGov poll in seven Western European countries revealed a strong increase in support for diplomacy. Similarly, the European Council on Foreign Relations’ survey across 15 European countries found that most citizens prefer negotiations over prolonged conflict.
