Lithuania urges NATO members to adopt 3% GDP minimum for defence spending

Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas has proposed raising the lower threshold for defence spending among NATO member countries to 3% of their national GDP.

The call came during a meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schof, held in the military town of Rukla, Jonava district, where a NATO forward-based battalion is stationed, Caliber.Az reports, citing Lithuanian media.

"We are faced with the need to agree that the lower threshold for defence spending is 3% of GDP," Paluckas stated, according to the press service of the Lithuanian government. He expressed optimism that such a "weighty gesture of deterrence and unity" among NATO allies would be formalized at the next alliance summit in The Hague.

Paluckas also emphasized Lithuania's commitment to strengthening its defence capabilities. He noted that his government had pledged to reach defence spending of 3.5% of GDP and set a framework for exceeding this figure in the 2025 budget.

The meeting took place amid Lithuania's growing efforts to enhance its defence systems. In July, the Netherlands deployed Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems to Lithuania for two weeks of exercises, as part of a rotational plan for air defence in the region. Lithuania, which lacks long-range air defence systems, has previously discussed similar arrangements with Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, the US, and Sweden, but these proposals have yet to materialize.

The Dutch and Lithuanian leaders’ meeting highlights NATO’s ongoing focus on bolstering defence in the Baltic region amid heightened security concerns. Paluckas's proposal signals a push for increased unity and investment among alliance members to deter potential threats effectively.

By Khagan Isayev