Newsletters
Lithuania’s parliament on Tuesday approved the first reading of a constitutional amendment that would remove the country’s ban on weapons of mass destruction, potentially opening the way for allied nuclear weapons to be stationed in Lithuania.
The amendment passed with 106 lawmakers voting in favor, 18 against and six abstaining, according to broadcaster LRT.
A final vote is scheduled for Jan. 12, 2027. The measure will require support from at least 94 of Lithuania’s 141 lawmakers to pass.
Parliament Speaker Juozas Olekas said before the vote that removing the ban could strengthen Lithuania’s resilience and deterrence capabilities.
“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.
Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas also emphasized deterrence and urged lawmakers to use all available options to strengthen Lithuania’s security.
“If Russia had not started the war in Ukraine, we probably would not be having the discussions we are having today,” Kaunas said.
The vote comes as Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia increase military and civilian preparations for a possible Russian attack amid uncertainty over future U.S. support for NATO, according to an exclusive report by The Atlantic.
The report described military exercises, rising defense spending and broader preparations across the Baltic states for scenarios ranging from limited Russian incursions to a wider conflict.
During a nationwide military simulation in Lithuania this summer, members of the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union participated in an exercise in the eastern village of Bezdonys involving the recapture of a railway station held by simulated enemy forces.
Participants practiced attacking enemy positions, evacuating wounded personnel and passing intelligence to the military.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
2 min read
1 min read
