Lithuanian parliament advances amendment to lift ban on nuclear weapons

The amendment passed the consideration stage in the Seimas on Sept. 22, with 99 lawmakers voting in favor, 13 against and five abstaining, Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reported.

The change is not yet final. Lithuania's Constitution requires two more votes separated by three months, currently expected on Oct. 6 and Jan. 12. At least 94 of the parliament's 141 members must support the amendment in each vote.

Article 137 of Lithuania's Constitution currently prohibits weapons of mass destruction and foreign military bases on the country's territory. The proposed amendment would remove the provision entirely.

The change would not mean that Lithuania has decided to host nuclear weapons. Supporters argue, however, that the existing restriction limits the country's participation in NATO's nuclear deterrence.

Laurynas Kasčiūnas, head of the opposition Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats parliamentary group, said the current provision could prevent an allied aircraft or ship carrying nuclear weapons from entering Lithuanian territory.

“We are the only country in the region that has this kind of restriction. Latvia doesn't have it, Estonia doesn't have it, Poland doesn't have it, and Finland has just removed it,” Kasčiūnas said.

Remigijus Motuzas, chair of the parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, similarly argued that Lithuania should not create obstacles to NATO's nuclear deterrence.

Opponents of the amendment questioned both its scope and necessity. Remigijus Žemaitaitis, leader of the Nemuno Aušra party, argued that Russia and Belarus would use the change for propaganda and said the provision should only be amended through a referendum.

Lawmaker Ignas Vėgėlė noted that removing Article 137 would also eliminate its explicit prohibition on foreign military bases, not just weapons of mass destruction.

The debate comes amid a broader European discussion over nuclear deterrence. French President Emmanuel Macron proposed a new European nuclear deterrence framework in March that could allow partner countries to temporarily host French strategic air forces carrying nuclear weapons.

The Financial Times reported in June that the United States was also considering deploying nuclear weapons in additional NATO countries in Europe.