Lithuania’s parliament voted Tuesday to advance a constitutional amendment that would remove a ban on weapons of mass de...

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Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas also stressed the importance of deterrence, saying politicians should provide the country with every available tool to ensure its security.

Kaunas said Lithuania is surrounded by countries with strategic weapons, pointing to Russia’s Kaliningrad region and Belarus. He described the proposed constitutional change as a response to Moscow’s actions.

“We are responding to Russia’s aggression,” Kaunas said. “If Russia had not started the war in Ukraine, we probably would not be having the discussions we are having today.”

Article 137 of Lithuania’s Constitution currently states that weapons of mass destruction and foreign military bases may not be stationed on Lithuanian territory. The proposed amendment would remove that provision.

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  • TabbsTheBat (they/them)@pawb.socialEnglish
    5·
    13 hours ago

    I know his name really is Kaunas, but I can’t help but picture the entire city of Kaunas speaking in unison like one of those fictional hivemind aliens whenever it claims Kaunas said something lol

    Also Kaunas? Yes, that’s what we hired him for (had to make this joke (even if non-lithuanian won’t get it x3))

    • A_norny_mousse@piefed.socialEnglish
      3·
      11 hours ago

      Well now you have to explain it.

      Also, yeah, weird to have politicians with names of big cities. Imagine there was a Senator Washington in the USA.

      • TabbsTheBat (they/them)@pawb.socialEnglish
        9·
        11 hours ago

        Kaunas is a city, but also “kaunas” (with a stress on a different letter) or “kaunasi” means “he is battling/fighting” which is a pretty fitting name for a defense minister. Like if the US had a politician named John Fightsalot

        So… “fighting? Yeah that’s his role” lol