Lithuania Votes 106–18 to Lift Its Constitutional Nuclear Ban
Seimas advances repeal of Article 137, which bars nuclear arms and foreign bases; a final vote is set for Jan. 12 as the Kremlin warns of escalation.
VILNIUS — Lithuania’s parliament voted on October 6 to advance a constitutional amendment that would remove the country’s ban on hosting weapons of mass destruction, a step that could eventually allow allied nuclear weapons on the territory of a NATO state bordering Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave. The Kremlin called the move a “significant escalation.”
The amendment passed its first reading with 106 votes in favor, 18 against and six abstentions, the Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reported. A second vote, required at least three months after the first, is scheduled for January 12, 2027. Each vote needs at least two-thirds of the Seimas, or 94 of 141 members.
What the change would do
Article 137 of Lithuania’s constitution states that weapons of mass destruction and military bases of foreign states may not be stationed on Lithuanian territory. The bill, submitted by Seimas Speaker Juozas Olekas, would repeal that article, according to Delfi and LRT.
Lithuanian officials stressed there are currently no plans to deploy nuclear weapons in the country. They say the aim is to remove legal obstacles to Lithuania’s participation in NATO’s nuclear deterrence arrangements, LRT reported.
“By addressing the legal exceptions that Lithuania had compared with other EU and NATO countries, they will be gone and we will be equal,” Olekas said.
Opposition conservative leader Laurynas Kasčiūnas backed the bill. “With the current restriction, we cannot fully participate in NATO’s nuclear deterrence plans,” he said. “Since nuclear deterrence is the queen of deterrence as a whole, this decision is strategically important.”
Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas pointed to Russia’s Kaliningrad region and Belarus as neighbors hosting strategic weapons. “We are responding to Russia’s aggression,” he said. “If Russia had not started the war in Ukraine, we probably would not be having the discussions we are having today.”
Opposition at home
The strongest opposition came from the Nemunas Dawn party, whose members cast 14 of the 18 votes against, with two more abstaining, according to Delfi. Aidas Gedvilas of Nemunas Dawn questioned whether parliament had the authority to make such a fundamental change and called for a referendum. “There are certainly alternatives to this constitutional provision. We could resolve this through a referendum,” he said.
Moscow responds
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on October 6 that a permanent U.S. base or nuclear weapons in Lithuania “cannot be perceived as anything other than a step toward escalating tensions,” CNBC reported, citing the state news agency TASS. “Neither of these developments will contribute to stability and predictability on the European continent. On the contrary, they will, to our regret, mark yet another significant escalation of tensions,” he said, adding that Russia would “take all necessary measures to guarantee its own security.”
In early September, Peskov warned that Lithuania could become a target for Russia if it allowed allies to deploy nuclear weapons on its territory, LRT reported.
The vote came a day after President Donald Trump said he would consider Lithuania’s request for a permanent U.S. military base. “They are friends of mine. They are great people, so we will certainly look at it,” Trump said on October 5, according to CNBC.
The wider European debate
The debate is part of a broader European discussion about nuclear deterrence. LRT noted that French President Emmanuel Macron proposed in March a framework under which partner countries could temporarily host France’s nuclear-capable strategic air forces, and that the Financial Times reported in June that the United States was considering deploying nuclear weapons in additional NATO countries.
Analysis: The January vote is the real test. Tuesday’s margin cleared the 94-vote threshold by 12, so the amendment can absorb some defections, but the Kremlin’s warnings and calls for a referendum will keep pressure on lawmakers for the next three months. Even if it passes, the change would only remove a legal barrier; any actual deployment would require decisions by NATO and the nuclear-armed allies.
Sources
- LRT: Lithuanian parliament backs removing constitutional ban on nuclear weapons
- Delfi: Nuclear deployment amendment passes first Seimas vote
- CNBC: Lithuania backs push to lift ban on nuclear arms
