Lithuania’s defense minister, Dovilė Šakalienė, has emphasized that the country’s increasing defense spending—potentially reaching 6% of GDP by 2030—will not come at the expense of social welfare programs. Instead, Lithuania plans to combine national resources with EU financial instruments to sustain its military expansion while maintaining social services.
Šakalienė stressed the need to balance support for both European defense industries and transatlantic ties, acknowledging the necessity of purchasing American weapons alongside European arms. Lithuania currently buys military equipment from various nations, including Germany, France, Norway, and the U.S.
The minister dismissed NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s recent suggestion that European countries should cut social spending to fund defense, calling such measures unsustainable. Instead, Lithuania is exploring alternative funding sources, including defense bonds and reallocating EU funds originally designated for economic recovery and unemployment relief.
The Lithuanian government’s decision to raise defense spending aligns with its strategic goal of strengthening its military and borders, particularly given its proximity to Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave. President Gitanas Nausėda is expected to push for EU-wide financial mechanisms to support NATO’s external borders at an upcoming meeting of EU leaders on February 3.
