Lithuania plans to double its defense budget

The President of Lithuania, Dalia Grybauskaite, has urged the Government to double the defense budget over the next five years to achieve the objectives set by NATO, in the context of the Crimean crisis.

Vilnius Government currently allocates 0.8% of the GDP to defense, well below the 2% target set by NATO for Lithuania.

"In five years, we can achieve the goal of two percent of GDP set for defense," said the President in a speech at the Parliament.

"Given the situation in Ukraine, we realize once again how fragile freedom is," added the president of Lithuania.

The U.S. President Barack Obama has urged the European countries to take responsibility, expressing "concern" for the reduced spending for defense, in some NATO countries.