Raising Lithuania’s defence spending to 4% of GDP would allow the country’s new army division to reach full operational capacity by 2030, Lithuania’s defence chief, General Raimundas Vaiksnoras, stated, Baltic News Network reports. Lithuania’s new government has increased its borrowing limit for 2025 by around EUR 800mn. The full amount would raise the defence budget from the current just over 3% of GDP to 4% in 2025.
Vaiksnoras also called for withdrawing from the Ottawa Treaty banning anti-personnel mines, saying that the move would “untie the hands” of the Lithuanian Armed Forces (LGP), BNS reported. Pointing to the war in Ukraine, he noted that “if you follow the rules and the adversary does not, then you automatically end up in a loser’s position.” Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene said that she would defer to military advice on the issue.