Legislation passed on Thursday means that citizens of these countries will not be allowed to join Lithuania’s professional, voluntary or compulsory military services, or take up other non-permanent military roles.  

Existing service members who acquire citizenship from Russia, Belarus or China will also be dismissed under the new rules, reported state broadcaster LRT. 

The restrictions extend to the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union, a paramilitary organization that supports the nation’s defense efforts. 

Earlier this year, the government banned professional military personnel from traveling to countries deemed a threat to Lithuania’s security—including Russia, Belarus and China—while off duty. 

In November, it was revealed that 11 people with dual Lithuanian-Russian or Lithuanian-Belarusian citizenship were serving in the Lithuanian Armed Forces. 

Lithuania has been a vocal critic of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and Belarus’s support for the conflict.  

Relations with China have also soured in recent years due to disputes over Taiwan and Beijing’s growing influence in the region.