Lithuanian Parliament Backs Move to Lift Nuclear Weapons Ban; Russia Issues Warning

Lithuania's parliament on Tuesday backed a proposed constitutional amendment that would lift a ban on deploying nuclear weapons and hosting foreign military bases in the country, a move that Russia warned would have major security implications.

Under the proposal, Article 137 of the Constitution, which prohibits the deployment of weapons of mass destruction and hosting foreign military bases on Lithuanian territory, would be deleted.

The passage of the proposal, however, does not mean the constitutional change has been fully approved. According to the parliamentary agenda, a formal vote on the amendment will be held over two rounds in October this year and January next year.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said last week that Lithuania's proposed amendment was absolutely irresponsible, accusing NATO members of pursuing provocative policies and using Lithuania as a potential staging ground against Russia.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has warned that Lithuania could become a target of Russian nuclear weapons if it allowed foreign nuclear arms to be deployed on its territory.