President Gitanas Nausėda says Lithuania’s planned defence spending of 5% of gross domestic product next year is too low, but the state must also meet people’s social needs, LRT reported. “The defence budget, yes, 5% is too little from the State Control’s point of view,” Nausėda told Žinių radija…

There is a particular brand of shamelessness that only Westminster politics can produce, and this week’s commentary in the Daily Mail provided a textbook example.

Protests over living costs and defence spending sweep Italy, with clashes reported in Rome, Bologna and Turin and police reinforcements deployed.

Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius says the size of the deficit is the most disappointing feature of next year’s budget, LRT reported. He also said he was concerned about the pace of spending on national defence, but had been assured that the money would be used properly and effectively. Speaki…

Iceland’s foreign and finance ministries have published a breakdown of defence-related spending, saying their calculations suggest the country may already be close to its commitment to spend 1.5% of GDP on defence. The figures were detailed in a memorandum sent to Alþingi’s budget committee on Fr…

Lithuania has used more than 45% of its planned defence funding, faster than at the same point last year, Deputy Defence Minister Karolis Aleksa told LRT radio on Wednesday. On October 14 last year, spending was 3% lower than it is now, Aleksa said. He expects more funds to be used in November, b…

Canada's Department of National Defence is grappling with internal budget constraints even as the federal government allocates billions more to military spending. Despite a significant increase in defence funding, the Treasury Board is examining operational spending with a goal of reducing expenses by 10%, which could impact training, maintenance, and readiness. The government has mandated reductions in operations and maintenance funding as part of the 2023 budget, with $810 million cut in the first year and $908 million planned annually thereafter. These cuts are still in effect despite the new funding, creating a tension between the government's rearmament plans and the need to maintain military readiness. The current operational readiness of the Canadian Armed Forces hovers around 61.3%, according to the latest federal budget. Defence Minister François-Philippe Champagne's spokesperson emphasized that the government wants to prioritize capital expenditures over operational spending to modernize the military and improve readiness. However, experts like Dave Perry of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute warn that much of the promised funding is already committed to existing projects and legacy equipment, leaving less 'available, investable and disposable cash' than expected. The military is also dealing with aging infrastructure, such as the Victoria-class submarines, where only one of four is operational, and maintenance costs are high. Former Lieutenant-General Andrew Leslie, who conducted a landmark study on DND in 2011, advises that budget reductions should target the Department of National Defence rather than the Canadian Armed Forces themselves, stressing that operations, training, and maintenance are the 'lifeblood' of the military. With geopolitical tensions rising, particularly in Europe, the government faces the challenge of balancing increased defence spending with the need to maintain military readiness and modernize equipment without compromising essential operations.

Lithuanian Liberal Movement leader Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen has called the projected 3.8% budget deficit for next year a “dramatic signal” that could create problems for future taxpayers, LRT reported. “A deficit of 3.8% is a dramatic signal that sets up major problems for the future,” Čmilytė-N…

Former prime minister Ingrida Šimonytė said she was not surprised that Lithuania plans to spend a smaller share of its gross domestic product on defence next year, LRT reported. Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius said the government intends to allocate €4.8 billion, or slightly more than 5% of …

Remigijus Žemaitaitis, leader of the opposition party Nemuno aušra, says Lithuania should allocate less to defence next year because the system is not using the funds already available. He made the remarks to BNS on Thursday, LRT reported. “Even this year, those sums have not been used,” Žemaitai…

Canada needs ‘substantial’ defence spending to reach NATO 5% targets: PBO: The Liberal government has yet to detail their plans to hike defence spending to five per cent of GDP by 2035, a massive increase over a tight timeline. #Canada #DefenceSpending #NATO #MilitaryBudget #NationalSecurity

Kemi Badenoch announced major plans for a £10billion system, dubbed Britannia Shield, to save cities, power plants and army bases across the UK from missiles and drones.

Four frontline states are now spending at or near the level Nato set as its 2035 goal, a decade ahead of schedule.

Kristjan Mäe, the new chancellor of Estonia’s Ministry of Defence, says he is responsible for ensuring defence funds are spent properly and in a way that merits public trust. ERR reported that he is taking up the post as the defence sector faces scrutiny over the use of state funds. Mäe said his …