Lithuanian president vetoes law allowing nuclear-armed ships to dock in Klaipėda

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has resubmitted his veto of a revised law governing Klaipėda State Seaport, arguing it could permit ships carrying nuclear weapons to enter the country, LRT reports.

The Seimas (parliament) will reconsider the vetoed legislation on Tuesday, deciding whether to redraft the bill or reject it outright. The law, passed on May 7, would allow nuclear-armed vessels to dock in Lithuania if deemed not to contradict national security interests.

Nausėda contends this violates the Constitution, which explicitly bans all weapons of mass destruction on Lithuanian territory without exception. He has proposed an absolute prohibition on nuclear-armed ships entering Klaipėda, while permitting limited exemptions for vessels with nuclear propulsion—provided they do not threaten state security.

In his decree, the president acknowledged that nuclear weapons belonging to allied states could serve as a “proportionate deterrent” against armed aggression, but stressed that their legal presence in Lithuania would require a constitutional amendment.

Nausėda also suggested delaying the law’s effective date from June 1 to July 1, citing concerns that parliamentary review may not conclude in time. For the veto to be overridden, at least 71 of the Seimas’ 141 members must vote in favour of the original bill.