Lithuania is considering nuclear weapons. Without asking Latvia? 0 11

“Assessing the situation we are in, the geopolitical environment, and what is happening around us, I think it is really worth doing,” said the head of parliament to reporters in the Seimas on Tuesday.

Article 137 of the Constitution states that there can be no weapons of mass destruction or military bases of foreign states on the territory of Lithuania.

On Tuesday, the Seimas decided to reconsider the new version of the law on the Klaipeda State Sea Port, which was vetoed by President Gitanas Nausėda last week.

The head of state stated that the law passed by the Seimas on May 7 would allow ships with nuclear weapons to enter the territory of Lithuania if it did not contradict national security interests. According to him, this would contradict the Constitution, which enshrines a ban on the presence of weapons of mass destruction in Lithuania without any exceptions.

The president proposes that the Seimas establish that the entry of ships with nuclear weapons into the Klaipeda port is prohibited in all cases, but to leave a limited exception for ships with nuclear power plants if it does not contradict state security.

According to Olekas, it is worth considering the possibility for Lithuania to be under a “nuclear umbrella” offered by other NATO countries, but for this, an agreement in the State Defense Council (SDC) is necessary.

“I think it is actually a good proposal. Such an umbrella is needed. We are under the NATO umbrella, but when it comes to formalizing, discussing, and what decisions should be made, I think clarity is needed, and we are already discussing this in narrower circles. Apparently, such a general consensus, perhaps, in the State Defense Council, would indeed be necessary,” said Olekas.

The head of parliament clarified that the possibility of joining nuclear deterrence initiatives in “narrow circles” is being discussed with Lithuanian politicians, not with foreign partners.