Amid rising tensions, the Kremlin has expressed dissatisfaction with Lithuania’s potential allowance for allies to station nuclear weapons on its territory. Currently, the Lithuanian parliament, or Seimas, is deliberating a proposal to amend the constitution, potentially lifting the ban on the deployment of weapons of mass destruction within the country.
Russian officials, including Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Head of the Security Council, have criticized Lithuania’s proposals, describing them as “futile” and suggesting that Russia would need to respond. Medvedev warned that no one would come to Lithuania’s defense should such developments occur.
Laurynas Kasčiūnas, head of the opposition Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats faction in the Seimas, stated that such comments from Russia were not surprising. He emphasized the need for Lithuania to adopt the full range of NATO’s deterrent capabilities, including nuclear protection, stating, “All of NATO is a target for the Russian Federation.”
Furthermore, Dainius Gajauskas, a member of the ruling Farmers and Greens Union and the National Security and Defense Committee, noted that Lithuania has been a potential target for Russia since joining NATO. He pointed out that warnings from the Kremlin regarding possible nuclear attacks are not new and are intended to intimidate NATO member populations.
Gajauskas argued for the constitutional change to ensure Lithuania fully utilizes NATO’s defensive capabilities, warning that failing to do so could make the country a weak link in the alliance.
Remigijus Motuza, a member of the leading Social Democratic Party of Lithuania and chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, echoed similar sentiments, calling the Kremlin’s statements a form of psychological and political pressure. He urged fellow lawmakers and citizens to disregard Moscow’s remarks, asserting that “ignoring is the best position in this situation.”
Context
- On September 9, the Lithuanian Seimas Legal and Order Committee supported the initiative to remove the provision prohibiting the deployment of nuclear weapons from Article 137 of the constitution.
- Globally, nine countries possess nuclear weapons: the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel. Almost 90% of the world’s nuclear arsenal is held by Russia (5,580 warheads) and the United States (3,748 warheads).
