BRUSSELS

Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene said Tuesday she has decided to resign, citing a loss of confidence from Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene.

"I have a draft statement [of resignation], and I will discuss it with the president today," Sakaliene told reporters in the parliament, according to public broadcaster LRT.

"At the moment, I see no reason to change my decision. This is politics – trust from the prime minister and the party leader are the things that essentially determine whether you can be delegated to do a certain job ... I don't see any possibility of working in an environment where there is no trust," she said.

Sakaliene, after meeting the prime minister on Monday, said: "The prime minister sent a message that her trust in me has faltered. I don't quite understand how one can work in such an atmosphere."

Last week, Ruginiene demanded an explanation from Sakaliene regarding an informal defense ministry briefing for social media influencers about the 2026 defense budget, as well as alleged connections with representatives of the defense industry.