The Lithuanian parliament approved on the first vote an amendment that would lift the ban on nuclear weapons in the country, Reuters reported. The legislative change must pass a second vote to enter into force, BTA reports.
President Gitanas Nauseda said in July that political parties had reached an agreement to lift the ban. According to him, the decision shows how Russia's actions are changing assessments of security in the region.
For the final adoption of the amendment, it is necessary for it to receive the support of two-thirds of the deputies in the parliamentary vote. It will remove restrictions introduced more than three decades ago when the Republic of Lithuania seceded from the Soviet Union.
In today's vote, 106 out of 141 deputies supported the proposal. The second vote is scheduled for January 12.
Nausėda stressed that there are currently no plans to deploy nuclear weapons on Lithuanian territory. However, he said that the lifting of the constitutional ban would allow the country to take the necessary actions if the security situation changes.
The president also stated in July that Lithuania would remain a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
In parallel with the discussion of changes in security policy, Lithuania has announced its readiness to bear the costs of establishing a permanent US military base on its territory if Washington accepts the proposal. This was announced by Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius.
US President Donald Trump said yesterday that he would consider Lithuania's request for a permanent US military presence.
The Baltic state is a member of the European Union and NATO and borders Russia and its ally Belarus. Since 2019, Lithuania has been hosting a US armored battalion of about 1,000 soldiers on a rotational basis, Reuters notes.
Sinkevičius said that last month he proposed to US envoy John Cole that the current rotational presence be converted into a permanent one. "This is an extremely important guarantee of deterrence and security," the prime minister said, adding that Lithuania was ready to cover the costs associated with the permanent deployment of US troops.