Lithuania Votes to Lift Nuclear Weapons Ban — SkimNews
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- Lithuania's parliament voted 106–35 to begin removing the constitutional prohibition on nuclear weapons, clearing the first of two required votes with a second scheduled for January 12.
- Russia warned of a 'significant escalation' in European tensions, linking Lithuania’s nuclear move and proposed US military base to increased instability near its borders.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that deploying US military infrastructure or nuclear arms in Lithuania would undermine stability and predictability on the continent.
- President Gitanas Nauseda said Lithuania has no immediate plans to host nuclear weapons but supports removing the ban to preserve future security options.
- The US maintains a rotational armored battalion of nearly 1,000 troops in Lithuania, while Trump’s proposal for a permanent American base adds to Moscow’s strategic concerns.
Why it matters: Lithuania’s legal shift opens the door to hosting nuclear weapons in a NATO state bordering Russia and Belarus, altering regional deterrence calculus. With a second parliamentary vote requiring a two-thirds majority by January 12, the outcome will determine whether Moscow faces a new front in its security confrontation with the West.
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