Lithuania Plans to Lift Nuclear Weapons Ban
Lithuania, following Finland, is preparing to revoke the ban on the deployment of nuclear weapons on its territory. Lithuania has taken another step toward removing the constitutional restriction on the placement of nuclear weapons on its soil.
Consensus
- Lithuania plans to amend its Constitution to remove the ban on nuclear weapons.
- The change involves Article 137 of the Constitution, which currently prohibits weapons of mass destruction and foreign military bases.
- The parliamentary session must be extended to January 13 to allow for voting on the constitutional amendment.
- The amendment requires two votes by at least 94 out of 141 MPs, with a three-month interval between votes.
- The speaker of parliament, Juozas Olekas, stated that the current ban makes Lithuania appear as an outlier in NATO.
- Finland previously removed its ban on nuclear weapons and related activities.
- The change is being framed as a response to current geopolitical realities and a tool for deterrence.
Points of divergence
- Poland's Minister of Defense, Paweł Zalewski, opposed the placement of nuclear warheads in Poland, stating the country is only interested in increasing U.S. military presence. — vedomosti
- Russia's permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, Gennadiy Gatilov, stated that placing nuclear weapons near Russia and Belarus would be seen as a direct threat, prompting countermeasures. — vedomosti
- The parliamentary committee on law and order supported the amendment, with 7 votes in favor and 2 against. — fontanka
- The initiative was agreed upon by political parties in parliament during the summer. — tg_moscowtimes_ru
Coverage (8 sources)
- In Lithuania plans to ban nuclear weapons placement. This was reported by LRT channel citing the speaker of parliament... — ТАСС (Telegram)
- Lithuania wants to lift ban on placement of nuclear weapons here. In winter Lithuanian parliament plans to adopt corresponding... — РИА Новости (Telegram)
- In Lithuania in winter they plan to allow placement of nuclear weapons — Вести
- Lithuanian authorities plan to exclude from the constitution a ban on nuclear weapons — Фонтанка
- In Lithuania plans to ban nuclear weapons placement. This was reported by LRT channel citing the speaker of parliament... — ТАСС (Telegram)
- LRT: Lithuania wants to lift the ban on the placement of nuclear weapons — Ведомости
- Lithuania wants to lift ban on placement of nuclear weapons on its territory. — РИА Новости (Telegram)
- Lithuania Follows Finland in Preparing to Abolish Ban on Placement of Nuclear Weapons — The Moscow Times
Key entities
- Lithuania
- Lithuanian Radio and Television
- NATO
- Seim
- Juozas Olekas
- Media
- Finland
- Juozas Olakas
- Moscow
- Government
- Delfi
- Committee