The hypothetical deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons or dual-capable aircraft in Lithuania would do little to change the military balance between NATO and Russia, but could serve as an additional guarantee for Vilnius of American involvement in the event of an attack. Defense policy and nuclear weapons experts told The Insider that the United States and NATO already have sufficient means for a nuclear strike against Russia, meaning the main purpose of such a step would not be to expand strike capabilities, but to signal that a Russian attack on Lithuania would entail a direct risk of confrontation with Washington.
As the Financial Times reports, the U.S. is discussing the possibility of expanding the deployment in Europe of aircraft that can carry either conventional or nuclear weapons. According to the outlet, Poland and several Baltic states have expressed interest. Lithuania’s Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas later confirmed that Vilnius is in negotiations with Washington about the possible deployment of American nuclear weapons.
Military expert David Sharp believes that in practical military terms, the possible appearance of American nuclear weapons in Lithuania would hardly make a difference. According to Sharp, the main impact of such a deployment would be the political message saying that Lithuania's security is directly linked to the United States:
