Lithuania Advances Constitutional Amendment to Permit Nuclear Weapons Deployment

Lithuania's parliament approved an amendment in first reading with 106-18 votes that would lift the country's constitutional prohibition on nuclear weapons and foreign military bases. A final vote scheduled for January 12, 2027, could remove the provision that currently bans weapons of mass destruction on Lithuanian territory. The Kremlin responded immediately, characterizing any such deployment as escalation that would compel Russian action.

Lithuania's constitutional revision requires approval through a two-stage legislative process, with votes separated by at least three months and each demanding support from 94 of the parliament's 141 members. Tuesday's first reading achieved 106 votes in favor, exceeding the threshold needed. The January 2027 final vote will determine whether the nation removes its existing constitutional protections against stationing weapons of mass destruction and foreign military installations on its soil, provisions that currently apply to all external forces, including NATO allies.

The Kremlin characterized both the potential nuclear weapons deployment and discussions of permanent U.S. military presence as hostile actions warranting Russian response. Moscow's official position frames NATO military infrastructure approaching Russian borders as inherently escalatory, applying the same logic to nuclear weapons positioning in neighboring territories.