Lithuania to allocate 5-6% of GDP for defence in 2026-2030 – Nausėda

The State Defence Council convened for a sitting on Friday and President Gitanas Nausėda afterwards revealed that it was agreed on 5-6% of GDP defence spending in coming years.

"We have agreed that in the 2026-2030 period we will annually earmark from 5 to 6 [percent] of the gross domestic product for defence," Nausėda said at a press conference.

In October the State Defence Council concluded that under the current defence funding Lithuania’s division sized unit, which is being established, would reach its full operational capability only in 2036-2040 rather than in 2030 as hoped. Nausėda then said that 5.5% of GDP defence spending was needed to have the division formed by 2030.

The decision to create the division was adopted in May 2023.