“Mr. Kaunas was well-prepared and answered those questions,” Nausėda told journalists, according to news agency BNS.
A day before the nomination, former defense deputy minister, Giedrimas Jeglinskas, from the center-left Union of Democrats “For Lithuania” party, said: “This is a lottery in which Lithuania’s security is at stake, and that is probably what worries me the most.”
In response to criticism, Kaunas wrote on Facebook that “criticism is necessary to keep us vigilant, but the doubts it raises are unfounded.”
The defense portfolio became vacant after Ruginienė dismissed the previous minister, Dovilė Šakalienė, on Oct. 22 amid a dispute over Lithuania’s defense budget.
The government has proposed spending a record 5.38 percent of GDP for defense in 2026, which still requires parliamentary approval.
“This unprecedented budget sends a strong signal to our NATO partners that Lithuania is a reliable member of the Alliance, fully aware of its geographical position and of the intentions of our neighbors to the east,” Kaunas said. He added that Lithuania will be ready to host a German brigade by the end of 2027.