Europe struggles to recruit the 100,000 troops its defence chief wants ready by 2030

EU defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius says Europe must be able to mobilise around 100,000 troops rapidly, warning that Russia could have that many soldiers massed at the EU and NATO border by 2030. A survey of eleven countries by Euromil, the European federation of military personnel associations, found recruitment and retention already rated as problematic or worse almost everywhere, despite an 800 billion euro rearmament push. Low pay, poor work-life balance and competition from the private sector are named as the main reasons soldiers leave after about ten years of service.

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