VILNIUS – Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys on Tuesday congratulated Marco Rubio on his appointment as the US secretary of state, saying that he looks forward to "working together on building a stronger transatlantic space and bringing peace back to the European continent".
"Congratulations, Marco Rubio, on your appointment as US Secretary of State!" Budrys posted on the X social media platform.
"I look forward to working together on building a stronger transatlantic space and bringing peace back to the European continent. It starts with a clear commitment to collective defense. Lithuania and the US share the view on this," he wrote.
Last week, Lithuania's State Defense Council decided to allocate 5-6 percent of GDP to defense annually over the next five years.
Donald Trump, who was sworn in for his second term as US president on Monday, has repeatedly called on NATO member states to increase their defense spending to 5 percent of GDP.
Rubio assumed the position of top US diplomat after being unanimously confirmed by the Senate only hours after the inauguration.
He is the first of President Trump's picks for top Cabinet posts to receive Senate confirmation.
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