World News for Students of English

13-10-2026 07:00

Lithuania’s parliament has taken a historic step to change its constitution, which aims to remove a long-standing ban on hosting foreign nuclear weapons on its soil.

Originally introduced after the fall of the Soviet Union to speed up the departure of Russian troops, the constitutional ban is now seen as outdated given current security threats.

Bordered by Russia’s Kaliningrad region and Russian ally Belarus, both believed to host nuclear warheads, Lithuania seeks to strengthen its position within NATO. The political move comes as US President Donald Trump expressed openness to establishing a permanent US military base in the country, an idea strongly welcomed by Lithuania’s prime minister to deter potential Russian aggression.

However, Russia reacted with severe threats and warned it will target nuclear weapons at Lithuania if warheads are deployed there. Experts view Lithuania’s vote as a strong political signal that the nation is determined to defend its sovereignty and secure NATO corridors like the Suwalki Gap.

Difficult words: outdated (old-fashioned and no longer useful or suitable for the current time), deter (to discourage or prevent someone from doing something by making them fear the consequences), sovereignty (the full power and right of a country to govern itself without outside control).

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