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“It is necessary to assess the possibility of amending Article 137 of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania if our allies propose real plans for deploying nuclear weapons or their components in Lithuania, as well as to review other obligations,” Delfi quotes Šakalienė.
Article 137 currently prohibits weapons of mass destruction and foreign military bases on Lithuanian territory. However, Šakalienė noted that no such proposals have been made yet.
Earlier, Polish President Andrzej Duda, in an interview with the Financial Times, called on Washington to deploy nuclear weapons in Poland.
In the face of Russian actions in Ukraine and the broader destabilizing effects of Moscow’s military posture, Lithuania has been more open to enhancing its security measures, including the potential hosting of NATO nuclear weapons. Although no formal proposals have been made yet, the possibility remains on the table, and Lithuania has acknowledged that its national defense strategy must evolve in response to changing geopolitical realities.
Lithuania, along with other NATO countries in the region, has expressed increasing concerns about Russia’s military activities and its nuclear rhetoric. Poland, for example, has also called for the deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons on its soil, signaling a broader desire among Eastern European NATO members for stronger deterrence in the face of an unpredictable neighbor.
The deployment of nuclear weapons in the Baltic region would be a significant escalation in NATO’s strategy. While NATO’s nuclear deterrence strategy has traditionally relied on the concept of strategic nuclear weapons being deployed in certain member countries (such as Germany, Italy, and Turkey), bringing nuclear weapons closer to Russia’s borders would undoubtedly send a strong signal of NATO’s readiness to defend its members.
However, this decision would also carry risks. It could be seen as a provocative move by Russia, which could interpret it as an act of aggression, potentially prompting military countermeasures or further escalation. The situation would also complicate NATO’s relationship with Russia, already strained due to the conflict in Ukraine and the ongoing arms race.
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