Updated Strategy: Lithuania to Allocate 0.25% of GDP Annually for Ukraine Aid

Ukraine has become a key focus in the updated National Security Strategy for 2026, presented by the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense.

The document explicitly states that European security cannot be achieved without an independent, sovereign, and secure Ukraine, integrated into the Euro-Atlantic space, according to the Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service.

Lithuania plans to allocate at least 0.25% of its GDP every year to support Ukraine in the areas of security and defense. This will include continued training for Ukrainian soldiers, supplying equipment, and providing comprehensive support to Kyiv.

The document also identifies Russia as an existential threat to Lithuania and the entire transatlantic community. According to Vilnius, Moscow could be ready for large-scale military action against NATO by 2030.

The strategy outlines three areas of policy: the country’s armed defense, support for overall resilience, and the creation of an international security environment. Lithuania has confirmed its intention to finance defense at a level of 5-6% of GDP until 2030, which significantly exceeds NATO’s basic requirements.

Among the external risks, Russia is named as the primary military threat, Belarus as an unpredictable factor due to its dependence on Moscow, as well as China and other countries that assist Russia with technologies and dual-use goods.

Meanwhile, Lithuania plans to more actively develop regional cooperation formats – the Nordic-Baltic Eight and the Northern Group. These are intended to complement NATO while also serving as a tool to strengthen support for Ukraine as a key factor in maintaining stability in Europe.