Russia Criticizes Proposed U.S. Military Base and Nuclear Plans in Lithuania

Russia has expressed strong disapproval of plans for a permanent U.S. military base in Lithuania. The country’s lawmakers are also advancing legislation to remove a ban on nuclear weapons being stationed there.

Lithuania’s Prime Minister, Mindaugas Sinkevicius, stated that Vilnius is willing to bear the costs of establishing a new American base. This statement came shortly after former President Donald Trump acknowledged the potential viability of such a facility.

Currently, around 1,000 U.S. soldiers are regularly stationed in Lithuania on a rotational basis. The move to establish a permanent base could increase U.S. military presence in the region.

In parallel, Lithuania’s parliament has voted to amend the country’s constitution. This change would remove a prohibition on deploying weapons of mass destruction, potentially allowing nuclear weapons from NATO allies to be based in Lithuania. The country’s borders with Russia’s Kaliningrad region and Belarus add to the strategic significance of this decision. A final parliamentary vote is expected by mid-January, as stated by Lithuania’s parliamentary speaker.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov condemned these developments, asserting, “A build-up of NATO forces near Russia cannot be seen as anything other than a move toward escalating tensions. The deployment of nuclear weapons in a neighboring country intensifies this escalation.”

Peskov also emphasized that Moscow would respond with measures necessary to protect its security.

The situation is ongoing and further updates will follow as the story develops.