Lithuania has announced that it will be the first NATO member to spend more than 5% of its GDP on defense
Lithuania announced that it has become the first NATO member country to allocate more than 5% of its gross domestic product to defense spending.
The country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Lithuania demonstrates a firm commitment to security issues and strives to be a reliable ally that sets an example for other nations. In 2026, the republic’s defense spending will amount to 5.38% of GDP, or approximately 4.79 billion euros. In previous years, this figure exceeded 3% of GDP.
The increase in defense spending is linked to a strengthening of security policy amid the war in Ukraine and the Baltic states’ concerns about potential threats from Russia. Lithuania notes that the country’s security system is based on two principles—its own defense capabilities and collective defense within NATO.
Lithuania has ratified an agreement to establish a compensation commission for Ukraine.
A Lithuanianminister called discussions on fertilizer transit from Belarus a waste of time — LRT.
The European Parliament supported prohibitive tariffs on fertilizers and agricultural products from Russia and Belarus
As a reminder, the United States and Europe will significantly tighten sanctions against Russia if Russian dictator Vladimir Putin does not engage in peace talks with Ukraine “in a spirit of goodwill.”
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he would impose sanctions against Russia if negotiations with Ukraine fail. The new restrictions will be devastating for Russia.
