Lithuania votes to lift nuclear weapons ban, Russia warns of ‘escalation of tensions’

Lithuania’s parliament on Tuesday voted to lift the ban over nuclear arms by passing the first reading of an amendment aimed at removing the constitutional ban on weapons.

As reported by broadcaster LRT, the parliament supported this move as 106 lawmakers voted in favor, 18 against and 6 abstaining. The passage of the amendment is hinged on final vote which is scheduled for January 12 and it will also require the support of at least 94 of the 141 members of parliament to pass.

If passed successfully, the country would be able to station allied nuclear weapons in Lithuania. According to Parliament Speaker Juozas Olekas, the lifting of the ban could strengthen the country’s resilience and deterrence capabilities.

“By addressing the legal exceptions that Lithuania had compared with other EU and NATO countries, they will be gone and we will be equal," Olekas also said.

Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas reportedly shed light on the significance of deterrence in the midst of growing Russian threat.

“If Russia had not started the war in Ukraine, we probably would not be having the discussions we are having today," Kaunas added.

The removal of the ban sparked a warning from Russia. When reporters asked Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov how Moscow viewed Lithuania's policy shift and US President Donald Trump's proposal to establish an American military base in the Baltic region, he responded that any movement of major NATO military infrastructure closer to Russian borders would be viewed as a clear step toward escalating tensions.

"If the military infrastructure ​of what is, in effect, NATO's leading country (the US) is moving closer to our borders, then, of course, this cannot be perceived as anything other ​than a step towards escalating tensions."

He added, "The same applies to ​the deployment of nuclear weapons on the territory of a neighbouring state. Neither ‌of ⁠these developments will contribute to stability and predictability on the European continent; on the contrary, they will, much to our regret, mark yet another significant escalation of tensions."

Lithuania is a member of NATO and borders Russia and Belarus.