Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene has moved to dismiss Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene after a week-long dispute over defense spending and government communication, according to local media reports.
“I informed the president of my decision to propose the defense minister’s dismissal. I did so verbally, and a written submission will follow shortly,” Ruginiene told reporters at the Presidential Palace, calling it “a painful but necessary decision,” as reported by LRT.
Ruginiene emphasized that the decision was initiated by her, not prompted by a resignation. “I cannot allow such misunderstandings and issues to occur in a field as important as defense,” she said.
The conflict traces back to an October 14 meeting at the Defense Ministry with social media influencers, where attendees were reportedly told that defense spending for 2026 would reach 4.87% of GDP—below the government’s 5% target. The following day, political analyst Marius Laurinavicius accused the government of “sabotaging Lithuania’s defence” over the shortfall, while defense blogger Aleksandras Matonis claimed the Finance Ministry planned cuts of €500 million in 2026 and nearly €2 billion by 2029.
On October 15, Ruginiene responded that Lithuania would allocate 5.38% of GDP—around €4.79 billion—for defense in 2026, including €700 million from the State Defence Fund. However, questions were raised about whether the total figure included dual-use projects such as infrastructure and mobility initiatives.
Initially describing the Defense Ministry incident as “sabotage,” Ruginiene later called it a “misunderstanding.” Following consultations with Armed Forces Commander Lt. Gen. Raimundas Vaiksnoras, she said her confidence in Sakaliene had “significantly eroded.”
Presidential adviser Deividas Matulionis confirmed that President Gitanas Nauseda had been briefed on the situation and requested that the defense minister not resign immediately. Sakaliene later acknowledged that continuing in her role would be difficult without the backing of both the prime minister and Social Democratic Party Chairman Mindaugas Sinkevicius.
