Lithuania eyes nuclear shift as constitutional ban set to be lifted

Constitutional amendments and exit from the "gray zone"

The legislative body is expected to begin the process of introducing the relevant amendments in the near future.

According to Nausėda, after a meeting with parliamentary faction leaders, it became clear that Article 137 of the Lithuanian Constitution, which prohibits the deployment of weapons of mass destruction and foreign military bases, no longer corresponds to modern security realities.

“Opinions were practically unanimous. Almost all parliamentary faction leaders expressed the view that Article 137 has become obsolete and should not merely be amended but removed," the Lithuanian president emphasized in his conversation with the press.

Lithuania joined the North Atlantic Alliance in 2004. As Nausėda noted, parliamentary leaders do not wish to remain in the so-called "gray zone" within the military alliance, being one of the few countries that continue to ban nuclear weapons at the legislative level.

Finland has already lifted a similar ban.

Vilnius had previously expressed interest in deploying US nuclear weapons on its territory, viewing this as a necessary means of deterring neighboring Russia.

Earlier, The Guardian published an investigation stating that Russia, over 18 months, conducted a large-scale spy operation, launching drones from ships of its shadow fleet to monitor strategic nuclear facilities in several European countries.

In addition, at the end of June 2026, Finnish President Alexander Stubb officially signed amendments to the nuclear energy law. This step definitely allowed the import, transit, and storage of nuclear weapons on the country's territory as part of integration into NATO's defense system.