European countries should “absolutely” be introducing conscription to combat the threat of Russian aggression, Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs said Sunday, as Europe grows increasingly concerned about the trajectory of the war in Ukraine.

Latvia recently brought back conscription for men aged between 18 and 27, with the aim to have 61,000 combat ready troops split between active and reserve units. The Baltic country has a 175-mile border with Russia to its east and foreign minister Krisjanis Karins said last year said they wanted to achieve a ‘state of preparedness’ that would dissuade the Kremlin from invading.