Latvia’s defense spending will be closer to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP), President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs said in an interview on Latvian Television program “Morning Panorama” January 20, Report informs via LSM.

Rinkēvičs said that according to a defense sector report last November, the current needs of the sector exceed 4% of GDP. This is the figure that Rinkēvičs spoke about earlier, saying that defense spending would have to be increased.

The amounts will be specified in the decisions, but the President expects that the money allocated after these decisions will be closer to 5% than 4% of GDP.

“This is still an open question and it will also depend on our talks with the USA, which I am slightly wary of. Not all allies have a common viewpoint. [..]

“The year will be very unclear and turbulent, and the diplomats and policymakers in the Baltic and Europe will have to work toward a sensible relationship, but a lot of things will change.”

The president said that there would be a discussion on defense funding at the National Security Council. He added that internal security should not be forgotten in the defense context.