Key Takeaways
- Lithuania recorded the largest defense spending increase of any EU country. Its GDP share rose from 0.88% in 2014 to 4.03% in 2025.
- Poland spent 4.25% of its GDP on defense spending in 2025. It is the largest GDP share across the EU.
- EU countries that border Russia or Belarus raised defense spending the fastest. This follows Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- France’s defense spending grew the least of any EU country. It gained only 0.22 percentage points of GDP since 2014.
- Russia’s invasion of Ukraine explains the EU’s rise in defense spending better than the size of any country’s economy does.
EU Countries’ Growth in Defense Spending
| Country | 2014 (USD billions) | 2025 (USD billions) | Change (in p.p.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lithuania | 0.5 (0.88%) | 3.0 (4.03%) | +3.15 |
| Latvia | 0.3 (0.97%) | 1.4 (3.67%) | +2.70 |
| Poland | 9.8 (1.86%) | 33.1 (4.25%) | +2.39 |
| Denmark | 4.0 (1.15%) | 14.3 (3.27%) | +2.12 |
| Estonia | 0.6 (1.90%) | 1.4 (3.93%) | +2.03 |
| Sweden | 5.8 (1.07%) | 18.7 (2.85%) | +1.78 |
| Luxembourg | 0.3 (0.37%) | 1.2 (2.01%) | +1.64 |
| Netherlands | 10.3 (1.12%) | 28.7 (2.53%) | +1.41 |
| Finland | 3.9 (1.46%) | 8.1 (2.75%) | +1.29 |
| Hungary | 1.2 (0.86%) | 4.0 (2.06%) | +1.20 |
| Spain | 12.2 (0.92%) | 33.9 (2.00%) | +1.08 |
| Germany | 46.7 (1.16%) | 97.4 (2.22%) | +1.06 |
| Slovak Republic | 1.0 (0.98%) | 2.6 (2.03%) | +1.05 |
| Belgium | 5.3 (0.97%) | 12.9 (2.00%) | +1.03 |
| Italy | 23.7 (1.13%) | 48.8 (2.09%) | +0.96 |
| Czechia | 2.3 (0.94%) | 5.8 (1.86%) | +0.92 |
| Romania | 3.0 (1.35%) | 6.8 (2.19%) | +0.84 |
| Bulgaria | 0.9 (1.31%) | 2.0 (2.13%) | +0.82 |
| Portugal | 3.1 (1.31%) | 5.9 (2.01%) | +0.70 |
| Slovenia | 0.5 (0.98%) | 1.0 (1.57%) | +0.59 |
| Greece | 4.7 (2.24%) | 6.9 (2.79%) | +0.55 |
| Croatia | 1.0 (1.81%) | 1.7 (2.07%) | +0.26 |
| France | 50.5 (1.82%) | 64.6 (2.04%) | +0.22 |
Source: NATO
Figures use constant 2021 prices and exchange rates. They are NATO’s measure of real defense spending after removing the effect of inflation and currency shifts.
2025 figures are estimates.
Four EU countries are not included because they are not NATO members: Austria, Cyprus, Ireland, and Malta.
Poland and the Baltic States Lead the EU in Defense Spending Growth
Lithuania spent 0.88% of its economic output on defense in 2014. By 2025, that share has risen to 4.03%. That is the largest increase of any EU country.
Including Lithuania, four of the EU’s five largest defense spending increases came from countries that border Russia or its ally Belarus:
- Lithuania: 0.88% to 4.03% of GDP (+3.15)
- Latvia: 0.97% to 3.67% of GDP (+2.70)
- Poland: 1.86% to 4.25% of GDP (+2.39)
- Estonia: 1.90% to 3.93% of GDP (+2.12)
In February 2022, Russia started a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The attacks on Ukraine continue in 2026. This makes it a significant threat to NATO.
France’s Defense Spending Grew the Least in the EU
France recorded the smallest defense spending increase of any EU country. Its GDP share rose from 1.82% in 2014 to 2.04% in 2025.
France has maintained an independent nuclear deterrent since the 1960s. That is a fixed, long-standing cost in its defense budget that most other EU countries do not carry.
France had less room left to grow than countries that started the decade spending far less.
The EU’s rise in defense spending follows a clear geographic line better than the size of any country’s economy does. Countries closest to Russia have raised spending the most.
Only Greece spent 2% or more of its GDP on defense in 2014 among these 23 countries. By 2025, every country except Czechia and Slovenia clears that same mark.
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- EU Approves €90 Billion Loan to Ukraine
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References
- https://www.nato.int/content/dam/nato/webready/documents/finance/def-exp-2026-en.pdf
- https://www.nato.int/en/news-and-events/articles/news/2025/12/03/nato-foreign-ministers-reaffirm-commitment-to-defence-investment-and-ukraine-support
- https://www.defense.gouv.fr/en/ministry/dossiers-evenementiels-et-thematiques/french-nuclear-deterrent
