Lithuanian conservatives pledge support for constitutional change to allow nuclear weapons deployment

The opposition Conservative Party would back a constitutional amendment to permit the deployment of nuclear weapons in Lithuania, leader Laurynas Kasčiūnas told LRT Radio on Thursday, as reported by the BNS news agency.

Under current law, Lithuania’s constitution prohibits both weapons of mass destruction and foreign military bases on its territory. A proposed change would require 94 votes in the 141-seat parliament to pass.

“The vote-counting phase has already begun in the Seimas regarding possible amendments,” Kasčiūnas said. “If the ruling parties have the will, we will certainly support this decision because we want the state to be secure.”

The debate follows President Gitanas Nausėda’s May veto of a law that would have allowed nuclear-armed vessels to dock in Klaipėda Port under national security conditions. Opposition factions have since pushed for broader constitutional reform, while the ruling New Dawn and Farmers and Greens Union remain cautious.

Social Democrat Tomas Martinaitis, a member of the National Security and Defence Committee, warned that constitutional changes “must not be a ruling-party issue alone” and could trigger disinformation from both allies and adversaries.

Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas confirmed this week that Lithuania is engaged in discussions with the US on potential nuclear deployments, though any such move would apply only in crisis or wartime scenarios. The talks follow a Financial Times report that Washington is considering expanding nuclear basing to additional NATO states in Europe.