Poland will allocate 4.12% of its GDP to defence this year, the highest percentage among NATO members and more than double the alliance’s guideline of 2%.

This figure, part of estimates published by NATO this week for all its members, represents an increase from the 3.92% of GDP Poland spent on defence last year, when it was also the alliance’s highest relative spender. This represents twice what the country used to spend on defence about a decade ago.

Following Poland, the next highest relative spenders in the alliance this year will be Estonia (3.43%), the United States (3.38%), Latvia (3.15%), and Greece (3.08%). The lowest spenders will be Spain (1.28%), Slovenia (1.29%), Luxembourg (1.29%), and Belgium (1.30%), where NATO’s headquarters are located. 

Poland has rapidly increased its defence spending since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Last year, the former Law and Justice (PiS) government pledged to raise spending to 4% of GDP, a commitment maintained by the new ruling coalition that took power in December.

In absolute terms, Poland’s estimated defence expenditure of $35 billion in 2024 is the fifth highest in NATO, behind the US ($968 billion), Germany ($98 billion), the United Kingdom ($82 billion), and France ($64 billion).

Image: X (DGenaralneRSZ)

Author: Sébastien Meuwissen