Polish spending is knocking out NATO. Rutte: Warsaw is the absolute leader in spending

Poland's defense expenditure in 2025 amounted to PLN 166.186 billion, which corresponds to 4.3%. GDP – according to the estimates of the North Atlantic Alliance included in the annual report of the NATO Secretary General. Poland recorded the highest percentage; the next places were taken by Lithuania (4%) and Latvia (3.74%).

“Total spending by NATO Allies on core defense requirements is estimated to be over USD 1.4 trillion (in constant 2021 prices) in 2025. European Allies and Canada are doing more and investing more in their increased commitments with noticeable huge increases in defense spending,” wrote Secretary-General Mark Rutte in the foreword to the report.

He emphasized that between 2024 and 2025, European countries, NATO and Canada have recorded increase in defense spending by 106 percent in real terms. In 2025 alone, they invested a total of USD 574 billion in defense, which means an increase of 20%. y/y in real terms.

NATO estimates in the report that Poland's defense expenditure amounted to PLN 166.186 billion in 2025. compared to PLN 137.176 billion a year earlier. In dollar terms it was: USD 44.36 billion compared to USD 34.454 billion in 2024

This means that in relation to GDP they reached 4.3 percent. in 2025 compared to 3.76 percent in 2024, 3.26 percent in 2023 and 2.21 percent in 2022

The next places after Poland in terms of the percentage of defense spending in relation to GDP in 2025 were taken by: Lithuania (4%), Latvia (3.74%), Estonia (3.42%), Denmark (3.34%), Norway (3.2%), USA (3.19%), Finland (2.87%), Greece (2.79%) and the Netherlands (2.59%). percent).

The lowest level, equal to the 2 percent required by NATO. recorded by: Portugal, Spain, Albania, Canada and Belgium.

NATO defines defense spending as payments by national governments specifically for the needs of their armed forces, either Allied or Allied. The largest part of defense spending is made up of payments to the armed forces from the budgets of defense ministries. (PAP Business)

volume/ gor/