Lithuania plans to spend over 5% of GDP on defense in 2026 - Prime Minister Ruginenė
Lithuania plans to allocate 5.38% of its gross domestic product to defense needs next year.
This was announced by Prime Minister Inga Ruginenė, Censor.NET writes with reference to LRT.
According to her, the 2026 budget includes 4.79 billion euros for defense, which is a record amount for the country.
"In my opinion, we are making a rather big leap in one year - but the geopolitical situation obliges us to do so. We take this very seriously and are making every effort to ensure that our people feel safe," Ruginenė said.
The Prime Minister clarified that the amount also includes expenses for the development of training grounds and dual-use infrastructure.
Lithuania is one of the NATO countries that spends the largest share of GDP on defense, and was the first to exceed the 5% mark, which was previously demanded from allies by US President Donald Trump.
