Nausėda suggests Lithuania may lift nuclear weapons ban
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda stated on Friday during a Baltic leaders' meeting in Berlin that his country may abolish the prohibition on deploying nuclear weapons in order to integrate into the Western nuclear deterrence system against Russia.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz convened a “B3+1” meeting in Berlin on Friday, bringing together the leaders of the three Baltic states. During the talks, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda announced that Lithuania seeks to join the Western nuclear deterrence system aimed at Russia, and for this reason it may lift the current ban on stationing nuclear weapons on its soil.
Nausėda argued that the security situation in the region demands a reassessment of longstanding policy. Lithuania currently has a law prohibiting nuclear weapons on its territory, but the president left open the possibility of revoking it if required for collective defense interests. Such a move would represent a significant shift in Baltic security policy.
The “B3+1” format is part of regular consultations between Germany and the Baltic states to coordinate security and defense issues. The Lithuanian president's remarks come amid intensified discussions in the region about the role of nuclear deterrence in NATO's strategy.
