Lithuania Agrees to Lift Constitutional Ban on Nuclear Weapons
On July 2, 2026, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda announced a near-unanimous political consensus to remove Article 137 from the constitution, banning nuclear weapons and foreign military bases. The move, prompted by Russia’s war in Ukraine and French President Macron’s nuclear deterrence proposal, follows Finland’s similar action. Lithuania, a NATO member bordering Kaliningrad and Belarus, seeks to avoid being a “weak link.” No immediate nuclear storage is planned, but the constitutional change allows future flexibility. Approval requires two-thirds parliamentary votes by end of 2026.
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Lithuania moves to lift constitutional ban on nuclear weapons and foreign military bases
Lithuania's parliamentary parties have agreed on a plan to lift a constitutional ban on nuclear weapons and foreign military bases, President Gitanas Nauseda announced on July 2, 2026. The move, which requires two-thirds majorities in two parliamentary votes, would remove prohibitions enacted over three decades ago after Lithuania broke away from the Soviet Union. Nauseda cited the worsening geopolitical situation, particularly Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as the reason for the change. Lithuania, a NATO member bordering Russia's Kaliningrad exclave and Belarus, has tripled defense spending since 2022 and is hosting a permanent German brigade by 2027. The decision follows a similar move by Finland four months earlier. While there are no immediate plans to store nuclear weapons in Lithuania, the amendment would allow the country to act if the security situation changes. Lithuania will remain a party to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Parliament Speaker Juozas Olekas said the amendments could be adopted by the end of 2026.
Defense NewsLithuania Agrees to Lift Constitutional Ban on Nuclear Weapons Due to Deteriorating Security Situation
Lithuania's parliamentary parties have agreed to lift a constitutional ban on nuclear weapons and foreign military bases, responding to the worsening geopolitical situation with Russia. The proposal requires two-thirds majorities in two parliamentary votes. President Gitanas Nauseda stated the constitution was written under different geopolitical circumstances. Lithuania, a NATO member bordering Russia's Kaliningrad exclave and Belarus, has tripled defense spending since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The move follows a similar decision by Finland four months prior. Analysts note the ban was the strictest among NATO allies and removing it allows for stronger deterrence. The president said there are no immediate plans to store nuclear weapons, but the constitutional change provides flexibility. Lithuania remains a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and parliament may adopt the amendments by the end of 2026.
Defense NewsLithuania Moves to Lift Constitutional Ban on Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Bases
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda announced that parliamentary parties have agreed to lift a constitutional ban on nuclear weapons and foreign military bases, citing a worsening geopolitical situation due to Russia's aggression. The ban, enacted three decades ago after independence from the Soviet Union, requires a two-thirds majority in two parliamentary votes for removal. As a NATO member bordering the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and Belarus, Lithuania has tripled defense spending since the 2022 Ukraine invasion and is hosting a permanent German brigade by 2027. The move follows a similar decision by Finland to repeal its nuclear weapons ban after joining NATO. While no immediate plans to store nuclear weapons exist, officials argue removing the restriction is necessary for NATO deterrence. Lithuania will remain a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Parliament Speaker Juozas Olekas expects amendments by end of 2026.
Defense NewsLithuania Moves to Lift Constitutional Ban on Nuclear Weapons Deployment
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda announced that top political leaders have agreed to remove Article 137 of the Constitution, which prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons on national territory. The decision followed a meeting with the Speaker of the Seimas, the Prime Minister, and parliamentary faction leaders, with nearly unanimous support. Disagreements remain only on the implementation procedure: the Dawn of the Nemunas party wants a referendum, while the President favors a parliamentary vote. Nausėda argued that Lithuania is the only NATO member state with such a self-imposed ban, warning against becoming a 'weak link' in the alliance. The debate was spurred by French President Macron's March proposal for a European nuclear deterrence system and reports that the US may deploy nuclear weapons in additional European NATO states. Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas confirmed Vilnius is participating in related discussions. The constitutional amendment requires approval by at least 94 of 141 MPs in two votes separated by three months, with the Speaker hoping for resolution before the end of the autumn parliamentary session.
Defence24.comLithuania moves to repeal constitutional ban on nuclear weapons deployment
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda announced a political consensus among top leaders to repeal Article 137 of the Constitution, which bans the deployment of nuclear weapons on national territory. The decision follows a meeting with the Speaker of the Seimas, Prime Minister, and parliamentary faction leaders, with near-unanimous agreement that the provision is outdated. Disagreement persists only over the implementation procedure: some advocate a referendum, while the President argues Parliament can decide. Nausėda stressed Lithuania risks being a 'weak link' in NATO as the only ally with such a self-imposed ban, noting Finland recently lifted a similar restriction. The debate was spurred by French President Macron's March 2026 proposal for a European nuclear deterrence system and reports of potential US nuclear deployments in additional NATO states. Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas confirmed Vilnius is participating in related discussions. Speaker Juozas Olekas expects legislative amendments to be registered soon, aiming for resolution before the autumn parliamentary session ends. Amending the constitution requires two votes, with a three-month interval, and approval by at least 94 of 141 MPs.
Defence24.comLithuania Moves to Lift Constitutional Ban on Nuclear Weapons Deployment
On 2 July 2026, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda announced that the country’s top political leaders, including the Speaker of the Seimas, Prime Minister, and parliamentary faction heads, have agreed to remove Article 137 of the Constitution, which prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons on Lithuanian territory. The decision was nearly unanimous, with disagreements only over the procedure—some factions advocate a referendum, while the President argues Parliament can decide. Nausėda emphasized that Lithuania is the only NATO member state with such a self-imposed ban, warning against becoming a 'weak link or gray zone' within the alliance. The move follows a March 2026 proposal by French President Emmanuel Macron for a European nuclear deterrence system allowing partner nations to host French nuclear-capable aircraft. Additionally, reports in early June indicate the US is considering deploying nuclear weapons in several other NATO states. Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas confirmed Vilnius is involved in related discussions. Amending the constitution requires two parliamentary votes with at least 94 out of 141 MPs approving, separated by three months. Speaker Juozas Olekas expects the process to conclude by the end of the autumn parliamentary session.
Defence24.comLithuania Scraps Constitutional Ban on Nuclear Weapons Amid Deteriorating Geopolitical Situation
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda announced on July 2, 2026, that the country's top political leaders had agreed to remove Article 137 from the constitution, which explicitly prohibited the deployment of weapons of mass destruction and foreign military bases on Lithuanian territory. The decision follows a similar move by Finland, another NATO member bordering Russia, which recently lifted its own longstanding ban on nuclear weapons. Nauseda described the constitutional provision as 'outdated' and 'obsolete' given the worsening geopolitical situation, particularly due to Russia's ongoing conflict with Ukraine. He emphasized that parliamentary and government leaders were 'practically unanimous' in supporting the removal, stating it would have been 'truly unfortunate' if Lithuania became NATO's weak link. However, Nauseda clarified there are no immediate plans to store nuclear weapons in the country. Lithuania, which borders the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, has been one of Ukraine's staunchest allies during the more than four-year war.
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