Date of birth

22 July 1971

Place of birth

Vilnius, Lithuania

Education

2013

PhD in Political Sciences, Institute of International Relations and Political Science, Vilnius University

1989–1995

Master’s in Philosophy, Faculty of Philosophy, Vilnius University

1992–1994

Diploma in International Relations, Institute of International Relations and Political Science, Vilnius University

1989–1993

Bachelor’s in Philosophy, Faculty of Philosophy, Vilnius University

1989

Sausio 13-osios Secondary School in Vilnius (currently Sausio 13-osios progimnazija (lower secondary school))

Work experience

2015–2016

Lecturer, General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania

2015–2016   

Ambassador-at-Large for the Eastern Neighbourhood, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of the Republic of Lithuania

2011–2015  

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lithuania to the United States of America and the United Mexican States

2010–2015   

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lithuania to the United States of America

2009–2010   

Ambassador-at-Large, Coordinator for the Lithuanian Presidency of the Community of Democracies, Transatlantic Cooperation and Security Policy Department, MFA

2006–2009   

Undersecretary, MFA

2004–2008

Director, Political Department, MFA

2002–2006

Deputy Chief Negotiator for Lithuania’s Membership of the European Union

2002–2005   

Head, European Department (later European Integration Department), MFA

2001–2002   

Minister Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Lithuania to the European Communities

2000–2002

Co-secretary, Conference on Lithuania’s Accession to the European Union

1999–2001   

Counsellor, Minister Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Lithuania to the European Union in Brussels, Belgium

1999–2001

Co-secretary, Adviser, Association Council of the European Communities and Lithuania

1995–1999

First Secretary, Acting Head, Correspondent on European Matters, Political Cooperation Department, MFA 

1993–1999   

Head, First Secretary, Political Cooperation Division, European Integration Department, MFA

1994–1995

Director’s Assistant, Political Department, MFA

1993–1994

Third Secretary, West European Department, MFA

Political career

 Since 1992

Member, Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats

1993–1995

Member, Head, Board of the Young Christian Democrats of Vilnius

2016–2020

Member of the 12th Seimas

Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs

Member, Committee on European Affairs 

Member, International Secretary, Presidium of the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats

Chair, Subcommittee on Transatlantic Relations and Democratic Development, Committee on Foreign Affairs (2016–2019)

Member, Deputy Chair, Committee on European Affairs (2019–2020)

Member, Migration Commission

Member, Commission of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania and the Lithuanian World Community

2016–2020

Head, Group for Inter-Parliamentary Relations with Georgia 

2016–2019

Chair, Subcommittee on Transatlantic Relations and Democratic Development

2020–2022

Deputy Chair, Committee on European Affairs

2020–2024

Member of the 13th Seimas

2020–2021 

2022–2024

Chair, Committee on Foreign Affairs

2022

Lithuanian Co-chair, Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) 

2022

National Coordinator, international interparliamentary network United for Ukraine U4U 

2022

Chair, Assembly of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine

2024

Deputy Speaker of the Seimas

2024

Chair, Committee on Foreign Affairs

Miscellaneous

Awards: Commemorative Badge for personal service to the cause of Lithuania’s Trans-Atlantic integration on the occasion of Lithuania’s invitation to join NATO (2002); Cross of the Knight of the Order for Merits to Lithuania (2003); Commemorative Badge of the State Border Guard Service for active cooperation and assistance in strengthening the protection of the state border (2006); Cross of the Knight of the Order of Oranje-Nassau of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (2008); Commander in the Order of Leopold II of the Kingdom of Belgium (2009); Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (2009); The Mark Palmer Prize for contribution to the development of democracy (2011); Order of Honour of Georgia from the President of Georgia (2013); award by the Ukrainian National Information Service (UNIS) for support to Ukraine (2014); Žalgiris Medal by the Lithuanian–American Community for sincere and meaningful cooperation (2015); award by the American–Lithuanian Business Council for contribution to the development of business relations with the USA (2015); award by the Ukrainian self-defence organisation Samooborona for contribution to the Ukrainian freedom; CHLI International Leadership Award; First Class Cross of Merit of the Republic of Estonia.

Membership: Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union; Editorial Board, Lithuanian Annual Strategic Review by General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania; Lithuanian Foundation; Lithuanian Ambassadors’ Club; Advisory Council, European Institute of Rights established by HU-LCD; Movement against the Astravyets NPP; organisation Knights of Columbus; Lithuanian-German Forum (member and founder); international interparliamentary network United for Ukraine (U4U) (member and head, since 2024) 

Foreign languages: English (fluent), Italian (advanced), Polish (basic), French (advanced), Russian (fluent), German (basic)

Hobbies: reading, sports (aikido, Taekwondo: second degree black belt)

Family

Married, with sons Augustas, Dominykas, Simonas, Vincentas