Lithuania’s parliament has voted to advance a proposal to lift the country’s constitutional prohibition on hosting nuclear weapons, drawing sharp criticism from the Kremlin which labeled the move a dangerous escalation of regional tensions.
The initial vote, passed on Tuesday, represents the first of two parliamentary ballots required to amend the constitution. The final vote is scheduled for January 12 of next year. If approved, the change would allow for the potential deployment of nuclear arms on Lithuanian soil.
The decision comes as Lithuania, a NATO and European Union member that shares a border with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, seeks to bolster its defense posture amid escalating security concerns. The country has been among Kyiv’s most vocal supporters since the outbreak of the conflict with Russia over four and a half years ago, supplying significant military aid and financial support.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that the developments would not contribute to stability in Europe. “On the contrary, they will, to our regret, mark yet another significant escalation of tensions,” Peskov told reporters, according to state news agency Tass. He added that Russia would be forced to take all necessary measures to ensure its own security in response.
Compounding the geopolitical friction, President Donald Trump indicated last Monday that he would consider Lithuania’s request for a permanent U.S. military base. “They are friends of mine. They are great people, so we will certainly look at it,” Trump said regarding the request, which Lithuania has suggested it would help fund.
The prospect of a standing U.S. base and the removal of the nuclear ban have intensified rhetoric between Vilnius and Moscow, raising the stakes in the already volatile Baltic region.
It is impressive Moscow treats nuclear considerations as the primary threat while ignoring the standing base request entirely.
A permanent US base right next to Kaliningrad? This escalates things faster than the nuclear vote itself.