【Wen / Observers Network, Qi Qian】

In Europe, conscription has reached children, and there is a "person-to-person" phenomenon.

After French Army Chief of Staff Fabien Mandon, on December 16th local time, British new Defence Secretary Richard Naton warned in a public speech that British families must be prepared for their children to participate in the war against Russia and make sacrifices for the country.

According to the speech manuscript published on the UK Ministry of Defence website, Naton gave a stern warning during an event at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in Westminster, stating that more people need to be ready to take up arms to defend the country. He explained that although the possibility of Russia directly attacking the UK is still very small, "this does not mean it is zero," with an estimated probability of 5%.

Naton mentioned the French Army Chief of Staff Fabien Mandon in his speech. He said, "My friend Mandon also found this last month, and in his speech to local mayors, he said that if France wavers because it is unwilling to accept the loss of children or economic hardship, it would face risks."

He then called on schools to encourage students to work in the defense industry, and urged civilians to help enhance national resilience to ensure normal operations of the UK during crises. He exaggerated the "Russian threat," stating that due to increased defense spending and experience from the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Russia has a "vast, increasingly technologically advanced and now highly combat-experienced military force."

When discussing the "society-wide" efforts needed to address the increasingly dangerous situation in Europe, Naton said, "Firstly, it means more people are ready to fight for the country." He stated that this includes not only regular forces but also increasing reserves and military academy students. "Therefore, we need defense and political leaders to explain the importance of the industry to the country, and schools and parents should encourage children and young people to join the defense industry."

"Children, colleagues, veterans..." Naton further said that every British person "has their own role in building, serving, and, if necessary, fighting. More families will experience the meaning of sacrifice for the country."

Naton also mentioned that since 2020, defense procurement spending across Europe has more than doubled, with Germany expected to reach 3.5% of GDP by 2029, and Poland's proportion already reaching 4.2%. In the past few weeks, France and Germany have resumed some form of national service. He pointed out, "In fact, apart from distance, the threat Britain faces is not much different from that of Germany."

Photo of Naton's speech on December 16

The UK Daily Mail reported that recently, several high-ranking UK military officials have warned about the risk of war. The UK government announced earlier this year that defense and security spending will increase to 5% of GDP by 2035.

In addition to Naton, the UK Minister for Armed Forces Affairs Al Khan previously stated that the UK is in a "state of war," warning that "the shadow of war is knocking at the door of Europe." The new head of MI6, Blaise Mettawelli, also warned that the UK faces an "uncertain era," with an "expansionist" Russia conducting a new type of warfare through exporting "chaos."

However, the warnings from Naton and others have not been accepted by the British public. In the comments section of the Daily Mail report, British readers left numerous comments opposing Naton's statement about using children to incite military threats.

The top comment read, "Absolutely not, I will fight for a government that ignores citizens, greedy politicians, and non-British people."

Comment screenshot from the Daily Mail (same below)

"Drag my son into it? Absolutely not!"

"No, thank you. I won't vote for Labour, let alone fight for a Labour-led British government. It's not worth stepping onto the battlefield now."

"Fight for a British government led by Starmer? You must be joking."

"As a 32-year-old British man, I will not fight against Russia. Like many British men, I refuse to give my life for a country that puts foreigners before its own citizens."

It is worth noting that the French top general mentioned by Naton in his speech, Mandon, had previously caused outrage with similar statements.

On November 20, Mandon warned local mayors that France must be prepared to "sacrifice children" to deal with the threat from Russia. Mandon stated that France has the economic and population strength to defeat Russia but lacks the "spiritual strength" to counter the threat. "Let's be honest, if our country is unwilling to accept the loss of children or economic damage due to prioritizing defense production, we will face risks."

On November 27, French President Macron announced that due to the growing threat from Russia and the risk of a new conflict in Europe, France will resume the volunteer conscription system next summer.

However, Mandon's remarks sparked significant controversy in France, leading to unanimous condemnation from all parties.

AFP reported that since the Ukraine-Russia conflict, European countries such as France have continuously provided weapons supplies to Ukraine, but have always insisted on not directly participating in the conflict. French officials, including President Macron, have repeatedly warned that if Russia wins, it could expand further. The French government has tried to prepare the public for possible sacrifices in wars or crises, but these warnings have not deeply resonated with the public.

At the same time, the EU is preparing for a potential conflict with Russia.

In July this year, the European Commission announced a long-term budget plan worth about 2 trillion euros, which plans to invest 17 billion euros in building European military mobility capabilities. The EU stated that it plans to use this 17 billion euros to comprehensively reform the infrastructure of the European continent to improve military mobility and prepare for a potential war with Russia.

In October, a document titled "Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030" was exposed. The draft shows that the EU views "militarized Russia" as a long-term threat and seeks to establish a "strong enough defense posture" by 2030 to be prepared for war.

On December 11th local time, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that NATO's European member states could become "the next target of Russia," calling for a rapid increase in defense spending to prevent wars similar to those experienced by previous generations.

This article is an exclusive article from Observer Network, and it is prohibited to reproduce it without permission.

Original: toutiao.com/article/7584729247999115810/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.