Lithuania Scraps Constitutional Ban on Nuclear Weapons Amid Russian Pressure

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has announced that the country’s highest political leaders have agreed to abolish the constitutional ban on the stationing of nuclear weapons on its soil. The strategic decision by the NATO member state, which borders the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, was taken amid a worsening geopolitical situation. Nauseda stressed that parliamentary and government leaders were nearly unanimous in their support for removing the policy, rather than merely amending it, to prevent Lithuania from becoming a weak link within the NATO alliance. The change automatically nullifies Article 137 of the Lithuanian Constitution, which previously explicitly prohibited the stationing of weapons of mass destruction and the establishment of foreign military bases on its territory. ‘The geopolitical situation is deteriorating. Our constitution was written when the geopolitical circumstances were completely different,’ President Gitanas Nauseda stated. Although the provision is officially being removed so that Vilnius can adapt to future security developments, Nauseda added that there are currently no immediate plans to store nuclear weapons in the country. According to a report by state broadcaster LRT, Nauseda told journalists that Article 137 of the Lithuanian Constitution has now become obsolete and outdated. Lithuania is known as one of Ukraine’s most loyal allies during more than four years of armed conflict against Russia, consistently providing extensive military equipment and financial support. The lifting of the ban follows a Financial Times report last month indicating that the United States is in talks to secure the placement of new nuclear capabilities in Europe. Countries on the front line of NATO’s Eastern Flank, including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, are reportedly keen to host US dual-capable aircraft (DCA) bases capable of launching nuclear strikes. The bold step was also taken shortly after lawmakers in Finland, a fellow NATO member that also shares a border with Russia, voted to repeal their long-standing ban on nuclear weapons. Regional tensions have escalated further after Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack targeting military complexes and fuel and energy infrastructure in Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed via Telegram that at least 13 people were killed in the attack, with Friday declared an official day of mourning for the city. The massive assault forced Finland to temporarily close its airspace over the eastern Gulf of Finland, while Poland immediately scrambled and deployed fighter jets as a precautionary measure. Amid this escalation, NATO leaders are scheduled to meet soon in Ankara, Turkey, on 7-8 July to discuss regional security and set a roadmap for fulfilling the alliance’s primary objectives.