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The President: We will allocate 5-6% of GDP to defense in 2026-2030

President of the Republic of Lithuania

Januray 17, 2025

On Friday, President Gitanas Nausėda chaired the regular meeting of the State Defense Council, where a decision was made regarding the sustainable financing of the national defense system. It was agreed that, between 2026 and 2030, annual defense allocations will amount to 5-6% of GDP.

According to the President, this commitment was necessary to achieve full operational capability for the Division and other critical armed forces capabilities required for national defense by 2030 at the latest. A review of the situation during the last State Defense Council meeting at the end of October revealed that this goal demands far greater resources than ever planned.

"The threat of Russian military aggression is real, but not inevitable. We have to significantly increase our efforts to strengthen defense and deterrence, dedicating more resources to this purpose, which is exactly what we are doing," the Head of State stated.

According to Gitanas Nausėda, our security is also ensured by our membership in the Alliance, but it will only be effective if we are prepared to defend ourselves. Our armed forces need to have the necessary weaponry, equipment, personnel, and supplies, and these must be delivered on time.

"With the increase in funding for the national defense system, I expect the full mobilization of institutions. We need to continuously monitor the progress of project implementation and adjust processes and priorities to ensure that resources are allocated optimally, and capabilities are developed on schedule," the President stated after the State Defense Council meeting.

The meeting also assessed the security situation and, in addition to national defense, addressed NATO defense planning issues. The topic of withdrawal from the Ottawa Treaty was discussed separately, with a decision to enter into consultations with allies and further coordinate our position with neighboring countries.

This meeting marked the first session of the new Council following the change of Government.

The President's Communication Group