Lithuania's parliament voted on October 6, 2026, to advance the repeal of a constitutional ban on hosting nuclear weapons and foreign military bases, with 106 lawmakers in favor, 18 against, and six abstaining. Within hours, the Kremlin warned that any such deployment would mark "a new round of escalation" and force Russia to take "all necessary measures" to protect its security.
What the Vote Changes
The first reading of the amendment targets Article 137 of the constitution, in place for more than three decades since Lithuania broke away from the Soviet Union. Removing it would let Lithuania host allied nuclear weapons and permanently base foreign troops on its soil. A second and final vote cannot come for at least three months — it is penciled in for January 12 — and would require the support of at least 94 of the 141 lawmakers to pass.
An earlier consideration-stage vote on September 22 passed 99-13, with five abstentions. If the repeal succeeds, Lithuania would join its NATO partners in full participation in the alliance's nuclear deterrence arrangements.
Why Vilnius Wants the Ban Gone
Seimas Speaker Juozas Olekas said the repeal would strengthen Lithuania's "resilience and deterrence," arguing the country should stand equal with other EU and NATO states that carry no such restriction. Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas put it bluntly: "If Russia had not started the war in Ukraine, we probably would not be having the discussions we are having today."
The security backdrop is concrete: Lithuania borders Russia's Kaliningrad exclave and Moscow's ally Belarus; Germany is permanently expanding its military brigade there; the United States has rotated an armored battalion of nearly 1,000 troops through the country since 2019; and US President Donald Trump floated a permanent American military base in Lithuania earlier this month.
Moscow's Warning — and the Road to January
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that moving NATO military infrastructure — including nuclear weapons — closer to Russia's borders "cannot be perceived as anything other than a step towards escalating tensions," adding that Moscow would "be forced to take all necessary measures to reliably ensure its own security."
The January vote will be the decisive moment. With 106 votes already in favor — well above the 94 needed — the amendment looks likely to clear its final hurdle, but the Kremlin's threat of countermeasures has turned a constitutional housekeeping exercise into one of Europe's sharpest security flashpoints.
Watch: Video explainer on Lithuania's vote to lift its constitutional ban on hosting nuclear weapons.
Music in this post's reel: Kevin MacLeod - Hitman (incompetech.com), licensed under CC BY 3.0
Sources
- Reuters: Kremlin warns Lithuania that its move to lift nuclear arms ban risks further escalation
- Kyiv Independent: Lithuania takes first step to lift nuclear weapons ban amid Russian threat
- RBC-Ukraine: Russia threatens action if Lithuania allows nuclear weapons and foreign bases
- The News: Lithuania votes to lift nuclear weapons ban, Russia warns of escalation