Lithuanian parliament votes 106-18 to lift constitutional ban on nuclear weapons

Parliamentary vote on constitutional ban

The Seimas of Lithuania voted on 6 October 2026 in favor of a constitutional amendment to eliminate the ban on deploying weapons of mass destruction and foreign military bases on national territory. In the initial reading, 106 members of the 141-seat parliament supported the draft, 18 voted against, and six abstained. The bill repeals Article 137 of the Lithuanian Constitution, which was enacted over three decades ago following the country's independence from the Soviet Union. Constitutional changes in Lithuania require two separate votes with at least a three-month interval, each securing support from a two-thirds majority of at least 94 lawmakers. Seimas Speaker Juozas Olekas announced that the second and final vote will take place on 12 January 2027.

With the current restriction we cannot fully participate in NATO nuclear deterrence plans. Since nuclear deterrence is the queen of deterrence, this decision is of strategic importance.

Security rationale and regional deterrence

Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas stated that the constitutional revision responds to Russian aggression against Ukraine, giving Vilnius all available tools to bolster security. Kaunas observed that without the war in Ukraine, the country would not be considering these constitutional changes. Lithuania borders both Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, two territories that host Russian military assets. In July 2026, President Gitanas Nausėda announced that political parties had reached agreement to remove the restriction. Nausėda noted that Lithuania will remain a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and has no immediate plans to station nuclear weapons, but the amendment allows rapid action if regional conditions change. Lithuania follows a similar initiative in Finland, where the government in March 2026 proposed amending laws from the 1980s to permit atomic weapon transit, import, or possession for NATO commitments or national defense.

Proposals for permanent US troop base

Alongside the parliamentary vote, Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius confirmed on 6 October 2026 that Lithuania is ready to cover the costs of building a permanent United States military base. The US military has maintained a rotational armored battalion of approximately 1,000 soldiers in Lithuania since 2019. Sinkevičius proposed turning the rotation into a permanent stationing during a September 2026 meeting in Vilnius with US presidential envoy John Coale. On 5 October 2026, US President Donald Trump stated that Washington would review the proposal.

They are friends of mine, they are great people, so we will certainly take a look at it.

Sinkevičius stated on Facebook that the permanent presence represents a key deterrence guarantee, noting that allied partners need only take the political decision while Lithuania covers all related costs. The legal adjustments also come as Germany expands its military presence through a permanently deployed brigade, and as France reviews the European role of its nuclear deterrent. In response to the regional discussions, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned in September 2026 that Lithuania would become a Russian target if allied nuclear arms were stationed on its territory.