After the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, spending of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on defense grew at the fastest pace in the world and in the next few years, spending will only increase, said the British analytical Company IHS Markit.
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in the years 2014-2016 has increased spending on military deliveries from 210 to 390 million dollars. By 2018, the Baltic countries together will presumably increase to 670 million dollars, informs Delfi referring to the research work.
"Profile of military spending in the Baltic countries over the past 2 years has changed very quickly. Defense budgets in all three countries By 2018 will exceed 2% of GDP. In Estonia and Latvia and Lithuania in defense spending over 10 years would have doubled or tripled, " said IHS principal analyst Craig Caffrey. In 2005 the total defense budget of the Baltic States amounted to 930 million dollars, and in 2020 - 2, 1 billion. Caffrey said that the rate of increase of costs of the Baltic countries on defense is the fastest in the world. According to IHS, the cost of the Estonian defence will rise By 2019 to 501, 51 million dollars (in 2005 they accounted for 263, 49 million dollars), the expenses of Latvia will increase from 279, 56 million to 613, 85 million dollars, Lithuania - 386, 47 million to 892, 01 million dollars." The rate of increase of military spending of the Baltic States associated with the confrontation between Russia and the West that is often called now a new cold war, said IHS analyst Alex Kokcharov.- for 2 and a half years We have seen political confrontation between Russia and the West from escalation to military aggression and do not expect the process to end in the near future." According Kokcharova, Russia and NATO have increased military exercises, more often began to occur incidents in the Baltic sea and the Black sea in the air and on the water." Russia is considering the regions conduct these exercises for the most part As a border, " - said the analyst." We do not expect the Russian Federation will allow inter-state conventional war in the West, and among them are NATO allies, but the opposition may take years, the analyst stated.- Clearly, the events covers the elements of military deterrence that cause concern in Russia and in neighboring countries." According to information received from IHS, the growth of the Russian military budget was the biggest in 2015, amounting to 28, 6% (the highest Rate since 2002). In the 2016 budget the Defense spending of Russia for the first time since the 90-ies has declined. On 14 October the head of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said that the cost of armed forces and security of Ukraine can not be an amount less than 5% of the national GDP, even amid a difficult situation in the economy and the issues with social welfare. In July the head of the Ministry of defence of Poland Anthony Macierewicz also stated that the expenditure on the army in the country ought to increase to 3% of GDP.

sections: Politics