Lithuania's parliament backed an amendment in its first reading to repeal the constitutional ban on nuclear weapons on the country's territory, infohub.kz reports.
106 lawmakers voted for the amendment, while 141 voted against. The measure would lift bans introduced more than three decades ago after Lithuania gained independence from the Soviet Union.
Vilnius says the initiative is aimed at deterrence, not the immediate deployment of nuclear weapons. Lithuania has thus opened the way to lifting the ban on nuclear weapons on its territory while also offering to cover all costs associated with establishing a permanent U.S. military base.
However, for the reform to take effect, the amendment must win the support of two-thirds of lawmakers in both votes. The second vote is scheduled for January 12.
President Nausėda said there are no immediate plans to station nuclear weapons in Lithuania.
It was previously reported that Lithuania is discussing lifting the constitutional ban on hosting nuclear weapons. After those reports emerged, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that countries deploying nuclear weapons are aiming them at someone. He is confident the weapons will be aimed not at the West but at the East — that is, at Russia.
In this connection, he said, Lithuanian territory would come under the targeting of Moscow's nuclear weapons if Vilnius decides to host such weapons.