President Gitanas Nausėda said Lithuania wants to be integrated into Western nuclear deterrence efforts to strengthen security against Russia [1].
This shift represents a significant departure from Lithuania's long-standing security posture. By seeking to host nuclear weapons, the Baltic nation aims to align more closely with NATO's strategic deterrents to discourage potential Russian aggression.
Speaking in Berlin on Friday, Nausėda said that Lithuania is moving to lift its constitutional ban on the deployment of nuclear weapons [1, 2]. The president emphasized the need for a more robust defense framework as regional tensions escalate.
"We would like to be an integral part of this nuclear deterrence," Nausėda said [1].
The move comes as Lithuania assesses the deteriorating security situation in Eastern Europe. The administration believes that a visible nuclear presence would provide a more effective shield for the country, and its neighbors within the alliance [3].
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz addressed the proposal during the visit to Berlin. "I view Lithuania's proposal with respect," Merz said [4].
While the constitutional change is a necessary legal step, the actual deployment of weapons would require coordination with other NATO allies. Lithuania's current efforts focus on removing the legal barriers that have historically prohibited such a presence on its soil [2, 3].
“"We would like to be an integral part of this nuclear deterrence."”
Lithuania's push to remove its constitutional ban on nuclear weapons signals a strategic pivot toward 'nuclear sharing'—a policy where non-nuclear NATO members host U.S. weapons. This move reflects growing anxiety in the Baltics over Russian military capabilities and suggests that conventional forces alone may no longer be viewed as a sufficient deterrent.
