Nausėda says nearly all faction leaders agree to amend Constitution over nuclear weapons

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has stated that nearly all parliamentary faction leaders agree that the constitutional provision banning the deployment of nuclear weapons in Lithuania is outdated and should be removed, LRT reports.

A meeting at the presidential office on Thursday morning discussed the constitutional article prohibiting the stationing of nuclear weapons in Lithuania. The gathering included the president, leaders of the Seimas (parliament) and government, as well as senior members of parliamentary factions.

The discussion follows intensified debate over constitutional amendments after Nausėda in May vetoed a law on the Klaipėda State Seaport, which would have allowed ships carrying nuclear weapons to enter Lithuanian territory if it did not contradict national security interests. The president justified the veto on constitutional grounds.

Lithuania’s Constitution currently prohibits mass destruction weapons and foreign military bases on its territory. Nausėda argued that the geopolitical situation has deteriorated since the Constitution was written, rendering the absolute ban impractical.

“This is an absolute prohibition, with no exceptions. Lithuania is practically the only NATO country that has imposed such a restriction on itself. Without a doubt, we must address this issue,” Nausėda said.

He noted that Finland, which previously had a similar legal ban, has since lifted its prohibition on nuclear weapons deployment. “Today, Lithuania finds itself in a kind of grey zone within NATO itself. It would be regrettable if we were the weak link or a grey zone within NATO,” the president added.

According to Nausėda, the leaders of almost all parliamentary factions agree that the constitutional article is outdated and should be removed. He suggested that the Seimas could amend the Constitution through a vote, as a referendum would take too long.

“We have concluded that now is the time for the Seimas and its speaker to demonstrate necessary leadership,” Nausėda said.

Seimas Speaker Juozas Olekas and National Security and Defence Committee Chairman Rimantas Sinkevičius have not ruled out discussions on constitutional changes. Some opposition parties, including the conservatives led by Laurynas Kasčiūnas, have pledged support if the ruling coalition initiates amendments. However, MPs from the “Nemuno aušra” and Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union factions have been more sceptical.

Amending the Constitution requires two separate votes with at least 94 out of 141 MPs in favour, spaced three months apart.

Debates on nuclear deployment have gained momentum following French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposal for a new European nuclear deterrence scheme, under which partner countries could temporarily host French strategic air forces with nuclear weapons. In early June, the Financial Times reported that the US is considering deploying nuclear weapons in several additional NATO countries in Europe. Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas has stated that Lithuania is not on the sidelines of these discussions, adding that US nuclear weapons could only be deployed in Lithuania during a crisis or wartime.