Lithuania Commits to Allocating 5-6% of GDP to Defense from 2026

Lithuania's President, Gitanas Nausėda, announced that the country will ramp up its defense expenditure to between 5% and 6% of the GDP from 2026 onwards in response to threats of Russian aggression. This commitment makes Lithuania the first NATO nation to adhere to the 5% defense spending benchmark advocated by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. The extra funds will primarily go towards upfront payments for military equipment, as detailed by Defense Minister Dovilakalien. Margarita Seaelgyt emphasizes the importance of this increase, citing Russia's military manufacturing reaching its peak due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.