More broadly, Maj. Gen. Merilo said conscription in Estonia requires a thorough reform, though this would not lead to conscription terms of the current 12 months.

While in a typical year the EDF enlists around 3,800 conscripts, Merilo suggests that in 2026 the figure could be set at a much lower number, of around 1,000 conscripts.

This quality-over-quantity approach, which he called a "gap year," could be used to focus on training active-duty instructors how could pass experiences and observations gained from the war in Ukraine on to future conscripts.

Speaking to ERR, Merilo stated that the EDF is currently drafting various options for improving conscription and raising training quality.

This will mean that reserve units – once a term of conscription, typically around a year, is finished, former conscripts remain liable for reservist service – are significantly better prepared to fulfill their tasks.

"Concepts are in progress, and various changes are coming. Some changes have already been made," Merilo continued.

"For instance, we will continue to stress physical preparation. We have already started considering that to be an integral part of combat readiness," the EDF commander went on.

"We have made simpler changes like this, but changing the conscription concept is a necessity regardless."

Again, much of this relates to the experiences of the past three years.

"What we developed 20 years ago and have maintained with minor cosmetic changes may no longer be as effective, given the lessons of the war in Ukraine," Merilo said.

He was also keen to stress that conscription terms definitely will not be extended as a result of the changes, saying: "The twelve months prescribed by law today is the framework we must within. But much depends on what the situation looks like."

Merilo: Very much just at proposal stage

The EDF chief acknowledged that his proposed gap year concept for 2026 is still just at idea stage, and would entail many steps being taken before coming to fruition.

"But indeed, to make a significant leap in quality, we cannot continue with things as we are. Plus I think that active-duty personnel who work with conscripts every day understand very well that to change something, it is necessary temporarily to do some things differently," he added.

Merilo conceded that raising the level of quality of instructors is necessary in any case, again due to the Ukraine lessons.

"Every day we get new information, and we know that in some aspects we are still playing catch-up to this day," he said.

"To restructure this, raising the level not only of instructors but also of all active-duty personnel is needed, to learn how to operate in a modern combat environment and perhaps also look to the future to envision what the battlefield should look like for us. To learn, rehearse, and essentially up our own game, which will in turn improve overall training quality in the future."

According to Merilo, his proposed reorganization is of many options the one that seems the easiest to implement and would yield the quickest results.

He also acknowledged that it is not the EDF commander-in-chief's personal decision alone to take these steps.

It requires significant familiarization, showcasing and lobbying before solutions can be made public in detail, he said.

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