Lithuania vows to boost defense spending to 5-6% of GDP, citing the threat of Russian aggression

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Lithuania has decided to raise its spending on defense to between 5% and 6% of overall national economic output starting in 2026 due to the threat of Russian aggression in the region, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said Friday.

With the president’s pledge, the Baltic nation bordering Russia becomes the first NATO nation to vow to reach a 5% goal called for by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. It currently spends a bit over 3%.

Nausėda said the “historic decision” was taken by the State Defense Council on Friday. “The possibility of Russian military aggression is still real, but not imminent,” Nausėda told reporters after the meeting in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. “We need to increase our efforts to strengthen defense and deterrence significantly, devoting more resources to this end.”

The decision comes as European members of the NATO alliance are wrestling with how to deter their newly aggressive neighbor to the east in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Increases in defense spending have moved onto the agenda as Europe faces a new U.S. administration from Monday under Trump, who has for years expressed skepticism about NATO, openly questioning the value of the alliance that has defined American foreign policy for decades and threatening not to defend members that fail to meet defense-spending goals.

Trump has also said he would not rule out the use of military force to seize control of Greenland, an autonomous territory belonging to NATO member Denmark.