Will Britain go to war?
THE head of the British army is to warn Britons that they could be called upon to fight for the country in the event of war with Russia.
It comes after worry that The Russian invasion of Ukraine could be provoke a wider conflict.
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Will Britain go to war?
Minister of Defence Grant Shapps declared that international relations entered “a new era” on January 22, 2024.
“We must be prepared to deter our enemies, be prepared to lead our allies and be prepared to defend our nation when the call comes,” he said.
He added that Russia, China and Iran posed serious threats, labeling them as “unstable” and “irrational.”
Britain faces its 1937 moment over the war in Ukraine
General Sir Patrick
The Russian attack on Ukraine is approaching its second anniversary on February 24.
More about the war between Russia and Ukraine
Although the Ukrainian army has regained some territory, the overall situation on the ground has changed minimally since Vladimir Putin's invasion.
According to reports, the Russian president plans to expand his country's army by another 170,000 troops.
At the beginning of January (2024), a document from the German was leaked Department of Defense revealed Russia's intention to do so launch a spring offensive in Ukraine in February.
The report, which was published by the German newspaper Imagealso warned that Russia could carry out covert attacks NATO territory as early as July this year.
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Russia has already given several signals that it is prepared to break this policy NATO borders.
In this situation, Britain and other member states would be obliged to declare war on Russia under Article 5 of the NATO Treaty.
NATO's founding document clearly states in Article 5 that any attack on any NATO member in Europe or North America “shall be considered an attack against them all.”
Once a member invokes the principle of collective self-defense under the treaty, NATO may defend it by “what action it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area .”
Currently, Ukraine is not a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) but neighboring countries such as Poland do.
Will I be drafted into the army?
Military service is no longer compulsory in Great Britain.
This means that no one will be legally obliged to fight in a war if they do not want to.
However, General Sir Patrick Sanders has warned the government of the need “mobilize” the public if Britain goes to war with Russia.
He told reporters that citizens should be mobilized in large numbers if war were to break out.
He believes there needs to be a shift in the public's mindset about who should be prepared to defend Britain against foreign adversaries.
Moreover, NATO bosses have warned allied countries that they must be prepared to take whatever action is necessary to combat Vladimir Putin's forces.
Most recently NATO announced its biggest appeal in decades as 90,000 troops prepare to begin World War 3 to drill.
This number will include 20,000 British troops, as the alliance plans to test allies on their ability to engage in a conflict with an opponent as capable as Russia.
The last time the British public had to go to war was during the World Wars in 1914 and 1939.
British men aged 18 to 40 were enlisted in what was known as military service during the First World War between 1916 and 1920.
Compulsory national military service was stopped in 1960 and the last soldiers were discharged in 1963.
You can still register as a soldier with the British armyas a regular officer or as a reserve.
Who could make war?
The long awaited War between Russia and Ukraine started after a dispute over two areas in Ukraine, over which President Putin had a falling out recognized as independent.
It cleared the way for Russian tanks to roll into eastern Ukraine to “secure” ground captured by pro-Putin rebels in 2014, with 200,000 Russian troops ready to invade.
Many countries have expressed support for Ukraine, but none have actively joined the fight and declared war on Russia.
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If Russia moves to a NATO country, the organization will be forced to intervene, but so far there has been no signal of such action.
NATO is in defense mode and such countries are helping Ukraine with resources as many come together to gather food and supplies for citizens fleeing the country or trying to find shelter.
There are 31 member states of NATO, including the US, all of which would be obliged to defend any NATO member that Russia might invade.
The 31 independent NATO countries include: