Lithuania and Estonia appear at the NATO summit as part of the “5% Club” with record levels of defense spending

At the NATO summit, Lithuania and Estonia drew attention by presenting themselves as members of the “5% Club,” a symbolic group of states that have reached or surpassed the target of dedicating 5% of Gross Domestic Product to defense.

During the welcoming ceremony, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda wore a pin on his jacket reading “5% Club,” which he proudly showed to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Meanwhile, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, as well as his Lithuanian counterpart Kęstutis Budrys, promoted their inclusion in this “club” through posts on social media.

According to NATO projections for 2026, Lithuania is expected to spend 5.33% of GDP on defense, putting it in first place among member states. Estonia ranks behind it with 5.10%, while Latvia is third with 4.92% and Poland fourth with 4.68%.

The sharp increase in military investment by countries on the alliance’s eastern flank is linked to their proximity to Russia and the security situation in the region.

On the other hand, Spain remains among the countries with the lowest level of defense spending, at only 2% of GDP, which made it a target of criticism from US President Donald Trump during the summit.