French President Emmanuel Macron is set to reintroduce a voluntary military service program as part of a broader European trend to bolster armed forces in response to perceived Russian threats. The initiative, proposed in July, would offer a ten-month term with compensation, following a decision to suspend conscription in 1997. Macron emphasized the need for a strong army in an uncertain world, while Russia has criticized the EU’s militarization as a distraction from internal issues.