Raimundas Karoblis

Mr. Raimundas Karoblis assumed his current responsibilities in December 2016 and has set in motion major defence system projects related to the modernization of the armed forces, such as JLTVs and NASAMS. Under his leadership and strong advocacy, Lithuania’s defence spending for the first time ever reached 2 percent of gross domestic product and is set to reach 2.5 percent by 2030 with infrastructure, communication and intelligence equipment being key investment targets. Mr. Karoblis is a dedicated Atlanticist and a strong believer that NATO is an irreplaceable pillar of collective defence on the European continent.

Mr. Karoblis is a seasoned diplomat and holds the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary since 2010. He has been working with Lithuania’s diplomatic corps for over twenty years. Prior to his current appointment as the Minister of National Defence, he worked as a Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, responsible for coordinating EU-related issues, including common EU security and defence policy. Mr. Karoblis served as the Permanent Representative to the European Union during the Lithuanian Presidency to the EU Council in 2013, as well as the Chairman of COREPER II. His also served as the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Lithuania to the World Trade Organization. His other diplomatic experience and assignments include work at the Foreign Trade Policy Department and the Economic Department.

He is a holder of the Knight's Cross of the Order for Merits to Lithuania (2003) and the Commander’s Cross of the Order for Merits to Lithuania (2014).

Mr. Karoblis holds a Master’s Degree in Law; speaks English, French, and Russian. He is 51 years old and is married.