Budrys faces conservative questions over presidential protection

Lithuania’s newly appointed Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys faced questions from opposition conservatives on Tuesday about his close relationship with President Gitanas Nausėda, with one lawmaker directly asking whether the president was grooming him as a potential successor.

The meeting with the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) began with party chairman Laurynas Kasčiūnas criticising the new government, suggesting it lacked competence in state governance. He then turned to Budrys, asking: “Can you tell us why [the president] protects you so much? Is it because you are a very good minister, or because the president sees you as his successor?”

Budrys responded by stating he believed his work in previous governments—under Gintautas Paluckas and Inga Ruginienė—had been effective, both in implementing the government’s programme and in coordinating with the president and the Seimas Foreign Affairs Committee. “I think that is why I joined this government. All other interpretations… I leave to you, the political scientists, the commentators,” he said.

Conservative MP Žygimantas Pavilionis later expressed concern over the new government’s approach to China, noting that Budrys had recently spoken of progress in normalising Lithuania-China relations. Pavilionis warned that the government’s programme had omitted any mention of Taiwan, despite previous efforts to balance relations with Beijing. “The wording on China is the worst in three governments,” he said, questioning whether Budrys risked damaging Lithuania’s relationship with Washington.

Budrys defended the policy, stating that Lithuania’s alignment with the current US administration provided “exclusivity” and that Lithuania’s role would strengthen amid a coming wave of democracy in the Western hemisphere. He added that normalising diplomatic representation with China would allow Lithuania to better protect its citizens’ interests and present its positions in Beijing—capabilities it currently lacks.