Finland is considering raising the age limit for reservists from 50 to 65 amid increasing militarization within the EU.
The Finnish Defense Ministry has proposed increasing the maximum age for military reservists to 65, according to a Wednesday press release. This move aligns with a broader trend of militarization among European NATO members.
The proposed change would affect citizens born in 1966 or later who are eligible for conscription, potentially adding 125,000 individuals to Finland’s reserve forces over five years. The Defense Ministry projects that the total number of reservists could reach one million by 2031 if the reform is implemented.
Currently, enlisted soldiers are removed from the reserves at 50, while officers leave at 60. The new proposal would not retroactively affect those already over 60.
The ministry stated that refresher training would be arranged for 50–65-year-olds assigned wartime duties. There would be no age limit for those volunteering for military service.
The bill is expected to go before the Finnish Parliament before its summer recess, which begins in late June.
EU countries, including Finland, have been increasing their military capabilities amid ongoing claims that Russia may attack in the coming years. Moscow denies any such intentions and accuses NATO and EU officials of “irresponsibly stoking fears” of a manufactured threat.
Finland, sharing a long border with Russia, applied for NATO membership in 2022 following the Ukraine conflict’s escalation and officially joined in 2023. Since then, Helsinki has provided political and military support to Kiev, with President Alexander Stubb supporting its NATO and EU bids.
In March, during US-brokered ceasefire talks, Stubb urged Western backers to provide Ukraine with extensive weapons and financial aid “to its teeth.”
Last year, Finland exceeded NATO’s spending target by allocating roughly 2.41% of its GDP to military expenditures. Finland also finalized an agreement with the US, granting American forces access to Finnish bases near the Russian border.
Russia has expressed regret that Finland’s NATO membership has essentially eliminated decades of positive bilateral relations between the two countries. Moscow has condemned the US-led bloc’s expansion toward its borders, viewing it as a threat to its national security.
In March, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that the EU had “degraded into an openly militarized entity,” and accused it of “inciting war” through its rearmament strategies.
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