NATO Ally Backs Trump's Defense Spending Demands: 'You Can Never Feel Safe'

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has emphasized that any attempt to end Russia's war in Ukraine must include full participation from Kyiv and be coupled with a significant increase in defense spending.

Former President Donald Trump has proposed that NATO allies spend 5 percent of their GDP on defense, and Lithuania is one of the few European countries committed to reaching this target.

Nausėda’s call for Ukraine’s complete involvement in any peace agreement, along with his push for higher defense spending, highlights a shifting geopolitical landscape as NATO prepares for a potential Trump-led security era post-war.

With Russia’s continued ambitions looming, Lithuania's position reflects concerns that a weak peace deal, combined with potential U.S. disengagement, could embolden Moscow and leave Eastern Europe vulnerable. Nausėda warned in a recent interview that any peace settlement lacking strong deterrents would allow Russia to regroup and potentially launch future aggression in the region. Having endured Soviet occupation until 1990, Lithuania remains deeply wary of Russia’s ongoing actions in Ukraine and its increasingly aggressive posture.

Why Is Lithuania Concerned?

Lithuania’s strategic location—bordering Russia’s militarized Kaliningrad exclave to the west and Belarus, a Russian ally, to the east—leaves the country especially vulnerable to future Russian aggression. Nausėda stressed that even if the war in Ukraine comes to an end, the threat from Moscow will persist.

What Has Trump Demanded from NATO?

Trump, a long-time critic of NATO countries that do not meet defense spending targets, has warned that he may withhold support from alliance members failing to meet their financial obligations. While some European nations view the 5 percent defense spending target as burdensome, Lithuania and other Eastern European countries view it as crucial to countering Russia’s ongoing threat.

=President Nausėda remarked, “You can never feel safe living in this part of the world because we have this neighbor, and we will still have it in one hundred or two hundred years.” He continued, “You always have the threat from the East, and you must take all necessary precautions to avoid being attacked.” Nausėda also stated, “It would be unacceptable if peace was negotiated behind closed doors without Ukraine's involvement.”

Recently, President Trump threatened to impose sanctions and tariffs on Moscow while urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to “settle now and stop this ridiculous war.”

Some Lithuanian politicians have expressed opposition to further increases in military spending, arguing that the country already spends a high percentage of its GDP on defense relative to other NATO members. However, President Nausėda dismissed these concerns, stressing the need for Lithuania to demonstrate its commitment to self-defense, especially given the ongoing threat from Russia.