Lithuania Moves To Open Door To Foreign Nuclear Weapons

By Staff, Agencies

Lithuania’s parliament has backed a constitutional amendment that would remove the country’s ban on nuclear weapons and foreign military bases, bringing the NATO member closer to potentially hosting nuclear arms. Moscow has warned that such a move would carry significant security implications.

The amendment won 99 votes on Tuesday, with 13 against and five abstentions. It must secure at least 94 votes in two further ballots, scheduled for October 6 and January 12, 2027.

The measure would repeal Article 137 of Lithuania’s Constitution, which prohibits weapons of mass destruction and foreign military bases on its territory. Supporters say the restriction no longer reflects the country’s security needs, while opponents have raised sovereignty concerns and called for a referendum.

President Gitanas Nauseda supports lifting the ban, while Lithuanian officials argue that hosting nuclear weapons would strengthen deterrence against Russia. Moscow, which has repeatedly denied plans to attack NATO states, has strongly criticized the proposal.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called the move “absolutely irresponsible,” accusing NATO of pursuing provocative policies and potentially turning Lithuania into a staging ground against Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also warned that Lithuania could become a target for Russian nuclear weapons if foreign nuclear arms were deployed there.

The debate comes amid wider European discussions over nuclear deterrence. French President Emmanuel Macron announced changes to France’s nuclear doctrine in March that opened the possibility of temporarily deploying French nuclear weapons in other European countries. Finland has since joined the initiative after lifting restrictions on hosting foreign nuclear weapons, while Latvia said Tuesday that Paris had agreed to discuss its participation.

Meanwhile, NATO already maintains a nuclear-sharing arrangement under which US nuclear weapons are stationed in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkey. The Financial Times reported in June that Washington was considering expanding deployments to additional NATO members in Europe.