17/01/2025 (Agence Europe) – On Friday 17 January, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs , Kęstutis Budrys, announced that the National Defence Council had decided earlier in the day that his country would “allocate between 5% and 6% of GDP to defence in 2026-2030”. “Difficult times require bold decisions and leadership. We call on our allies to follow [this] lead. The era of passive ‘sit-and-wait’ strategies is over”, warned the Minister on X. According to NATO estimates, in 2024 Lithuania spent 2.85% of its GDP on defence. Since taking office, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has called on the Allies to spend more on defence, and future US President Donald Trump has estimated that the Allies should spend 5% of GDP (see EUROPE 13553/10). (CG)