Lithuania Promotes Lifting of Nuclear Weapons Ban, Raising Public Concerns

[Global Times Special Correspondent Wen Jian] According to Reuters, Lithuanian President Nausėda stated on July 2 that the various parties in the country's parliament have reached a consensus to lift the ban on nuclear weapons and foreign military bases in the constitution.

It is reported that this significant legal change requires two parliamentary votes and a two-thirds majority to pass. If successful, Lithuania will abolish the relevant ban that has been in place for over 30 years. In this regard, Nausėda explained that the geopolitical situation is "deteriorating," and "our constitution was drafted during a time of entirely different geopolitical circumstances."

This move by the Lithuanian government has raised public concern. The Lithuanian website "Alfa" reported that Remigijus Žemaitaitis, chairman of the Dawn of Nemunas party, stated: "I just want to say, this is nuclear weapons; think about the consequences." He emphasized that any changes regarding nuclear weapons must be subject to a national referendum or discussions seeking a nuclear umbrella, but the consequences must be carefully assessed.         

As a NATO member, Lithuania shares borders with Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, Lithuania's defense spending has doubled. The country is currently upgrading its armed forces and strengthening border defenses. The Russian news agency Sputnik reported that Russia has repeatedly stated that NATO is unprecedentedly active near its western borders, expanding its forces, which it calls "containing Russian aggression." The Russian side has also stated that it will not ignore actions that may threaten its own interests.