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

Russia has expressed strong disapproval of the potential establishment of a permanent U.S. military base in Lithuania. In addition, Russia opposes Lithuania’s lawmakers’ recent decisions to eliminate a ban on nuclear weapons in the country.

Lithuania’s Prime Minister, Mindaugas Sinkevicius, announced on Tuesday that Vilnius is ready to cover the expenses for setting up a new American military base in the Baltic nation. This statement came in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration that the U.S. will consider the feasibility of such a facility in Lithuania.

Currently, around 1,000 U.S. soldiers are posted in Lithuania on a rotating basis. Meanwhile, Lithuania’s parliament has moved ahead with a proposal to amend the country’s constitution, which would remove a ban on deploying weapons of mass destruction on Lithuanian soil. This change might allow NATO states to position nuclear weapons in Lithuania, which shares borders with Russia’s Kaliningrad region and Belarus, a Russian ally. A final decision on this constitutional amendment is expected in mid-January, according to Lithuania’s parliamentary speaker.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov remarked on Tuesday that the increase of NATO forces near Russia is an escalation of tensions. He stated that placing nuclear weapons in a neighboring country further aggravates the situation. Peskov noted, “They will, to our regret, mark yet another significant escalation of tensions,” adding that “Moscow will be forced to take all necessary measures to guarantee its own security.”

This is a developing story and further updates will be provided.