On February 18, the Latvian government made a decision to allocate at least 4% of the country’s gross domestic product to defense from 2026 onwards.
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa confirmed this increase in defense spending during a press conference after the meeting. She noted that, considering NATO’s goals, Latvia will need to ensure defense spending of at least 4% of GDP starting next year, and in the coming years, aim for 5%.
To achieve this, it will be necessary to revise the budgets of all ministries, not just the Ministry of Defense, Siliņa added. She also stated that Latvia will seek additional funding sources for defense, including support from the European Union.
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed his intention to demand NATO allies to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP. The new NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, and many European leaders agree that the current target of 2% is no longer sufficient to ensure Europe’s security in the coming years.
