The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, advanced a proposed constitutional amendment on Tuesday, September 22, to lift the country’s longstanding prohibition on deploying weapons of mass destruction and hosting foreign military bases, according to UNITED24 Media. The measure passed only the consideration stage after lawmakers supported the initiative in an initial vote of 99 in favor, 13 against, and five abstentions, as reported by Euobserver.
Lithuanian Parliament Advances Plan to Lift Nuclear and Foreign Base Ban
The proposal would delete Article 137 of the Constitution, which explicitly bars both weapons of mass destruction and foreign military bases of other states from Lithuanian territory. Proponents of the change argue that the self-imposed restriction limits Lithuania’s participation in allied nuclear deterrence and prevents the country from matching the security posture of its regional neighbors.
Parliamentary Path and Political Divisions
Because the initial vote merely cleared the consideration stage, the amendment requires two further adoption votes with a mandatory three-month interval between ballots before it can take effect. Seimas Speaker Juozas Olekas indicated that the first adoption vote is scheduled for October 6, followed by the final vote on January 12. To pass, the measure must secure the backing of at least 94 of the 141 members of parliament.
Floor debate revealed sharp divisions over national deterrence. Laurynas Kasčiūnas, an elder of the opposition Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats faction, defended the move by pointing out that neighboring countries like Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Finland do not maintain such constitutional limits. Emphasizing the necessity of deterrence, Kasčiūnas told the chamber, Russians do not attack the strong.
Remigijus Motuzas, the social-democrat chair of the Seimas Committee on Foreign Affairs who tabled the proposal alongside more than 50 other MPs, argued that Lithuania must not become NATO’s weak link.
Opposition to the amendment came primarily from the Nemunas Dawn faction, whose leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis asserted that the measure was unnecessary and claimed only a referendum could alter the article. Ignas Vėgėlė of the Mixed Group also raised concerns that deleting the entire provision would lift protections regarding foreign military bases, questioning whether Lithuania might cede land it cannot control.
Presidential Stance and Broader European Context
Amid the parliamentary advance, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda stated that the authorities have no immediate plans to deploy nuclear weapons on national territory. Nausėda noted that removing the ban provides greater state flexibility if security conditions evolve, while affirming that Lithuania would remain bound by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The legislative step unfolds against a wider European reassessment of nuclear deterrence driven by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. European defense discussions have also involved French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposal allowing elements of France’s strategic air forces to deploy temporarily to allied countries willing to participate in European deterrence frameworks.
International Reactions and Moscow’s Warnings
Moscow swiftly condemned the parliamentary advancement. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that Lithuania could become a target for Russian nuclear weapons if foreign arms are stationed on its territory. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova characterized the proposed amendment as absolutely irresponsible, accusing NATO members of using Lithuania as a staging ground against Russia.
Further criticism came from Russian lawmakers, with State Duma deputy Alexander Tolmachev arguing that the move threatens Lithuanian sovereignty and turns the country into a testing ground for NATO provocations. Earlier in September, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev similarly warned that Lithuania would face severe consequences in the event of a nuclear confrontation.
Читайте также
