#required commitment

[beardedmrbean]

In a move to strengthen its national defense, Lithuania has announced plans to increase its defense spending to between 5 percent and 6 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), starting in 2026.

Currently, Lithuania spends just over 3 percent of its GDP on defense, a figure that places it well below the new target.

Why It Matters

The decision, confirmed by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda on Friday, reflects growing concerns about Russian military aggression in the region, particularly as tensions with Moscow remain high amid the war in Ukraine. The Baltic country shares a border with Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast.

With the pledge to reach 5 percent, Lithuania will become the first NATO member to meet a defense spending goal recently suggested by President-elect Donald Trump.

Why Is Lithuania Increasing Its Defense Budget?

The new policy will make Lithuania the highest spender on defense in NATO in percentage terms, surpassing Poland, which currently leads with over 4 percent of GDP allocated to defense.

Trump has called on NATO countries to significantly increase their defense budgets, warning that member states should meet a minimum threshold of 5 percent of GDP, up from the existing 2 percent target.

Trump has long been critical of NATO members who fail to meet defense spending targets. While Lithuania's new commitment aligns with the incoming president's calls for greater defense investments, the country's decision underscores a regional shift toward bolstering military strength in the face of Russian aggression.

Newsweek contacted the Lithuanian government by email on Friday for further comment.

What To Know

The move, described by Nausėda as a "historic decision," was endorsed by the State Defense Council, the country's top security body.

In addition to defending its borders, Lithuania aims to modernize its military capabilities with the additional funding.

Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė confirmed that the extra resources will be used to accelerate the purchase of advanced weaponry, including Leopard tanks, air defense systems, and other essential equipment.

How Will Lithuania Spend Its Increased Defense Budget?

The investment will enable Lithuania to make advance payments and expedite deliveries of critical military assets, which will significantly enhance its readiness and deterrence capabilities.

The announcement comes amid a broader debate over NATO's future and the role of the U.S. in ensuring the alliance's security.

What People Are Saying

President Gitanas Nausėda said during a press briefing in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius: "The possibility of Russian military aggression is still real, but not imminent. We need to increase our efforts to strengthen defense and deterrence significantly, devoting more resources to this end."

What Happens Now

With Lithuania leading the way, other NATO members may follow suit, increasing their defense budgets as they respond to the growing uncertainty of European security in an era of resurgent Russian power.

[bvckbiter]

fandom talks too little about hylla and reyna. reyna killed her father when she thought he'd killed hylla. hylla dragged them out of puerto rico and found them sanctuary and employment on circe's island AND became one of circe's favorites. then when they got captured by blackbeard hylla also got them out of that situation by out-pirating literal immortal pirates. then in a span of three years, they split up, found their own ways to the amazons and cj, and became the leaders of their respective factions. when hylla's queenship was being threatened by otrera in son, she plotted a counter-coup and defeated an amazon queen who couldn't die two nights in a row in one-on-one combat, THEN led her cavalry to camp jupiter. (ik this woman slept like a corpse for a week afterwards). hylla used reyna as an absolutely ruthless bait-and-switch to capture orion, and all reyna said in response to that was, "bet." reyna carries insurmountable amounts of both guilt and gratitude towards her sister. even though they havent seen each other in a while, hylla still drops everything and does everything in her power to save her baby sister when she knows reyna needs her.

[heynhay]

figure skater allura insp by @seypia

[croquettish]

Fandom: KCD

Pairing: Hansry

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 8,296

Hans is nine years old the first time he hears the tale of Lancelot and Galehaut from a wandering French minstrel.

Chapter 1/5

[vigilskeep]

establishing lore about my new(ish) rook elodie thorne:

orlesian surface dwarf whose family have been topside for many generations. worships the stone and the ancestors, though i’m slowly cooking up some fun cultural differences as a surfacer compared to orzammar religion

she joined the wardens during the fifth blight, when the orlesian wardens went on a big recruitment drive thinking they were preparing for the long haul lmao

she was 16 at the time and lied abt her age to make sure they’d take her. her family had a lot of respect for the order and didn’t fully succeed in being angry w her because they were so proud

in her earliest years with the wardens she served with my dalish orlesian warden, mahvirhanin “mahvi” andras, and warden loghain mac tir, who gets transferred over to orlais in awakening if you recruited him in origins. aka the two grumpy old bastards that absolutely nobody orlesian wants to work with. 17-year-old elodie contributed 100% of the group’s total enthusiasm supplies

she was at adamant fighting against the inquisition. after being recruited for a blight that was ended without her, she was an easy target for the lie about a big heroic final push against the darkspawn. she bitterly regrets this, especially because her old friend loghain was the one left behind in the fade, and holds heavy grudges against both grey warden leadership and the venatori

varric spoke to her afterwards, and then leliana’s agents. she was a spy for the inquisition for the next decade, heading to weisshaupt and reporting on the first warden’s movements until she finally disobeyed orders to save lives

[starlingstalk]

Nya animatic I will never finish/clean up bcs everything I draw cannot be done over more than one day or I‘ll explode

[carmelasoprano]

SHERYL: You can tell me. It takes two to know one.

[normal-nightmare]

God. God I'm completely fucking insane about Dick and Jason

Their dynamic is everything to me. They have such a complicated relationship and history. They've been enemies and friends and almost-brothers. The what-ifs and should-have-beens and might-haves linger in between them so heavily. The guilt and grief sticks to their relationship and might never go away. They keep hurting each other but they love each other so much and they want to keep trying, to understand each other

Because that's what love is!! Relationships aren't perfect but that doesn't matter! They keep trying and they WANT to keep trying! Jason sees Dick for who he is and still thinks he's the most amazing thing he's ever seen. Dick has seen Jason at his absolute worst and still wants him around. They've both wanted the other dead and they've fought and gotten each other bloody and they still come back and offer a hand up.

They SEE each other- and that's terrifying. And they love each other so so deeply. The commitment, the sense of duty and obligation, it's all there. They don't HAVE to keep caring or trying- but they do regardless and God isn't that what love is? Trying?

Just. God they're so devoted to each other even when they've been hurt, even when they don't quite know how to show it or get the other to understand. But they try.

God, they try.

[lagomorphiclobotomite]

ascended!astarion is genuinely so cool and funny and sweet he has so many really interesting and nuanced moments and im so tired of people reducing him to cazador 2.0 , this characture of a single interpretation of the most cartoonishly abusive person possible. acting like hes a completely different character than spawn!astarion entirely they are literally. the same. guy. stop mischaracterizing my pookie

[starlightwayfinder]

aros when the story explores the role of relationships and their effect on sense of self and fulfillment, the acceptance of impermanence and change, the perceived emptiness and isolation that comes from having a different emotional experience than the people around you, the struggle to balance independence with connection to others, wanting to be loved but not at the expense of being ‘imprisoned’ or tied down, choosing to be true to yourself at the expense of meeting others’ expectations—

[minidodds]

The most unrealistic thing about The Bear is how ripped Carmy and Mikey are. They both lived at the restaurant, had no time to work out, and Carmy’s diet consisted of chips and a soda at night. 🤣

[justicecaballer]

"which could mean nothing" truly is a load bearing phrase in my life right now

[canisalbus]

Have you ever played Stardew Valley? I think you might like it, the soundtrack is lovely, it has so much lore, and the art is very pleasing!

I've seen it getting a lot of praise left and right, but haven't played it myself. What would you say to a person who knows next to nothing about it, but is tentatively interested in giving it a try?

[demonwebs-a]

ship w me u cowards

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

The way I get home from work like "ah let me play relaxing video game before bed" and it's Hollow Knight but in the White Palace, specifically the upper levels

its a struggle <3

[red-dyed-sarumane]

MY MACHINES CAME ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️