In a decisive move on Thursday, the Seimas (Parliament) of Lithuania voted to withdraw from the Convention on Cluster Munitions, a treaty that prohibits the use, transfer, and stockpiling of cluster bombs.
The decision to exit the international agreement, ratified by Lithuania in 2010, received overwhelming support in the Seimas with 103 members voting in favor, one against, and four abstaining.
Defense Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas, a key proponent of the withdrawal, cited the shifting geopolitical landscape as a primary motivator for the decision. “Such conventions are significant when all countries adhere to them. The problem here is that the Russian Federation, which is waging aggression against Ukraine and has imperialistic ambitions, does not follow these rules,” Kasčiūnas stated during the parliamentary session.
Kasčiūnas emphasized that when Lithuania ratified the convention, the geopolitical climate was different. “We are now in a much more complex situation. It would be highly inappropriate for the state to declare upfront which capabilities it will not use in its defense preparations,” he added.
Modern cluster munitions, according to Kasčiūnas, are designed to be much safer and their effects can be controlled, which addresses some of the humanitarian concerns associated with these weapons.
The discussions about Lithuania potentially withdrawing from the Oslo Convention, which bans the use of cluster munitions, began last summer. Former Defense Minister Arvydas Anušauskas had also hinted at this direction, stressing the importance of reassessing the convention’s provisions in light of national security concerns.
The move to exit the convention removes restrictions on Lithuania’s ability to procure, stockpile, and use cluster munitions in the event of a conflict, thus aligning its defense capabilities more closely with the realities of the current geopolitical threats, particularly from Russia.