Vladimir Putin’s latest decree calling up roughly 135,000 Russian men for the autumn conscription is a stark reminder that the Kremlin is not slowing down its war machine. Moscow says the draft is routine, but ordinary Americans should read the reality: an authoritarian regime is beefing up its forces while Europe dithers.
Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, put it bluntly when he warned that Europe “is not at war … but no longer at peace” with Russia — a sober admission from a NATO leader that the post‑Cold War complacency is over. That admission should shame Western elites who spent years hoping appeasement and window‑dressing would keep our continent safe.
This conscription comes on the heels of earlier, larger recruitment drives and legislative moves to expand Russia’s manpower and narrow draft exemptions, signaling long‑term intent, not temporary bluster. Putin’s Kremlin has been steadily increasing call‑ups and retooling its manpower rules to sustain a much larger military presence for years to come.
Make no mistake: what Moscow calls “routine” will be used to wage power projection and hybrid warfare across Europe unless it is deterred. Independent outlets and analysts note this autumn call‑up is the biggest in nearly a decade and part of a clear pattern of preparation for a prolonged conflict, not a mere administrative exercise.
Even establishment foreign‑policy voices like Brookings’ Michael O’Hanlon are warning that the West will have to crank up pressure on Russia and get serious about deterring further moves — advice Americans should have heard sooner from our political class. If voices across the spectrum now call for firmer measures, it’s because Putin’s actions have forced the issue.
Conservative Americans should see this for what it is: a challenge to Western freedom and to our sovereign interest. We must demand robust U.S. leadership that prioritizes American security, builds real deterrence with NATO partners, and pushes for energy and defense independence so Europe cannot be held hostage by Moscow’s bullying.
Washington should stop with the hollow gestures and bureaucratic hand‑wringing and deliver tangible strength — more weapons for frontline partners, accelerated shipbuilding and munitions production, and uncompromising sanctions enforcement on Russian elites. Our families, jobs, and future prosperity depend on a foreign policy that understands strength keeps the peace.
Hardworking Americans are not naive; we recognize threats when we see them. It’s time our leaders act like patriots — defend liberty abroad, secure America at home, and never again let Europe’s fragile peace be dependent on wishful thinking and weak politicians.
