Lithuania Moves to Lift Nuclear Ban
The proposed constitutional amendment would require a two-thirds majority in two separate parliamentary votes to take effect. Photo: Reuters
Lithuania’s political parties have agreed to pursue constitutional amendments that would remove longstanding bans on nuclear weapons and foreign military bases, President Gitanas Nauseda said on Thursday, as growing security concerns over Russia reshape the country’s defense posture.
The proposed changes would require a two-thirds majority in two separate parliamentary votes. If approved, they would overturn restrictions that Lithuania incorporated into its constitution more than three decades ago after gaining independence from the Soviet Union.
Speaking to reporters after meeting with leaders of parliamentary parties, Nauseda said the deteriorating security environment had prompted the move.
“The geopolitical situation is worsening,” he said, adding that Lithuania’s constitution was drafted “at a time when geopolitical realities were completely different.”
A member of NATO, Lithuania borders Russia’s Kaliningrad on one side and Belarus, a close ally of Moscow, on the other. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Lithuania has tripled its defense spending.
The Baltic nation has modernized its armed forces, strengthened border defenses, and built infrastructure to support the permanent deployment of a combat-ready German brigade scheduled to arrive in 2027 as part of efforts to deter potential Russian aggression.
The announcement comes four months after fellow NATO member Finland unveiled plans to repeal decades-old legislation banning nuclear weapons.
Finland adopted that policy shift after joining NATO in 2023 in response to the war in Ukraine, a move widely viewed as a historic change in the country’s security strategy.
Linas Kojala, director of the Vilnius-based Geopolitics and Security Studies Center, told Reuters that Lithuania’s constitutional restrictions on nuclear weapons are likely among the strictest within NATO. The provisions were added to the constitution before the country joined the alliance.
“There is broad consensus that such restrictions no longer correspond to current geopolitical realities,” Kojala said. “The nuclear capabilities of allied countries are now an important component of deterrence strategy.”
He added that Lithuania should not maintain obstacles that could limit its ability to strengthen deterrence.
Nauseda said Lithuania currently has no plans to store nuclear weapons on its territory. However, removing the constitutional restrictions would give the country greater flexibility should future security conditions require additional measures.
He also stressed that Lithuania would remain a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
Parliament Speaker Juozas Olekas said lawmakers could approve the constitutional amendments by the end of this year.
Source: Reuters (adapted)
