Lithuania takes further step towards lifting nuclear weapons ban

Lithuania has taken a step towards removing a constitutional ban on nuclear weapons from its territory, bringing the Baltic state closer to the legal position of its neighbours as European allies debate how to strengthen NATO’s deterrence in the face of Russia.

The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, voted 106-18, with six abstentions, on Tuesday to advance a constitutional amendment removing a provision that bars weapons of mass destruction and foreign military bases from Lithuanian territory.

The change still requires a second vote after a constitutionally mandated three-month waiting period. At least 94 of the Seimas’ 141 members must back it on both occasions. The final vote is expected on January 12.

“This constitutional amendment would enable Lithuania’s armed forces to participate fully in the planning and exercises of all of NATO’s deterrence measures,” said Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, leader of the Liberal Movement parliamentary group.

Currently, Article 137 of the Lithuanian Constitution stipulates that weapons of mass destruction and military bases of foreign states may not be located in Lithuania, which borders Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave. This means that under current laws, allied aircraft or ships carrying nuclear weapons could not enter Lithuanian territory for deterrence purposes.