Lithuania, inspired by Poland’s example, aims to allocate more than 3 percent of its GDP to defence, President Gitanas Nausėda said in Warsaw on Wednesday.
Currently, Poland allocates 4 percent of its GDP to defence, while Lithuania spends 3 percent. However, Warsaw plans to increase its defence spending to 5 percent of GDP next year.
“I am glad that Poland shares our view on the responsibility of funding defence,” Nausėda said during a joint press conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda.
“I have closely followed your initiatives, Mr President, to encourage NATO members to spend not 2 percent but at least 3 percent of their GDP on defence,” he added. “Lithuania, for its part, has already reached the 3 percent defence funding threshold, and I believe we will not stop there, as we are inspired by Poland’s example.”
The president also stressed that the two countries are ready to train Ukrainian troops at the Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian brigade’s base, which he and Duda plan to visit on Thursday.
“Ukraine’s victory is the best guarantee of peace and stability in Europe, so we must do everything we can to support Ukraine in achieving that victory and provide the necessary support to our suffering neighbour,” Nausėda said.
Nausėda and Duda also discussed the improvement of strategic infrastructure, energy security, and military mobility.
On Thursday, the two presidents will visit a Lithuania-Poland defence industry forum in Warsaw, which is expected to bring together over 70 defence companies from the two countries.
This year marks the 455th anniversary of the Union of Lublin and the 510th anniversary of the Battle of Orsha, in which the combined forces of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Poland defeated Moscow’s forces.
To mark the occasion, Nausėda will also visit the castle in Lublin, where he and Duda will sign a declaration on further cooperation between the two countries.
The Union of Lublin was concluded on July 1, 1569, uniting the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland into the Commonwealth of the Two Nations.
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