Lithuanian Defense Minister Resigns
(MENAFN) Lithuania's Defense Minister, Dovile Sakaliene, has announced her resignation following a week-long conflict with Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene regarding the nation's military spending.
The disagreement originated from an informal meeting on October 14, where Defense Ministry personnel allegedly urged journalists to pressure the government into raising the military budget to 5% of Lithuania's GDP, a target set by NATO.
The Prime Minister criticized the meeting, calling it “sabotage,” and stated that she had lost trust in Sakaliene. In response, Sakaliene revealed on Facebook that she was resigning due to "different fundamental views" after several disagreements with Ruginiene over the 2026 defense budget.
“Just a month ago, I had hoped we could work together, but unfortunately, we cannot,” Sakaliene wrote.
This week, the Lithuanian government approved a historic defense budget of €4.79 billion ($5.6 billion), amounting to 5.38% of the country's GDP. The allocation aligns with NATO’s push for higher military spending.
The proposal is set to undergo further debate before it receives final approval from Parliament later this year.
At the behest of US President Donald Trump, NATO member states in Europe have committed to increasing their defense spending to 5% of GDP.
In addition, EU governments have made significant military investments, citing concerns over a potential threat from Russia—an assertion that Moscow rejects.
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