Lithuanian parliament advances bid to remove ban on nuclear weapons, Russia will be forced to retaliate

Lithuania's parliament on Tuesday passed the first reading of an amendment seeking to remove the constitutional ban on nuclear weapons, according to broadcaster LRT.

The parliament backed the amendment, which aims to remove the ban on weapons of mass destruction from the country's constitution, with 106 lawmakers voting in favor, 18 against and six abstaining.

The passage of the amendment potentially paves the way for the stationing of allied nuclear weapons in Lithuania.

A final vote is scheduled for Jan. 12 and the amendment will require the support of at least 94 of the 141 members of parliament to pass.

 The potential deployment of a NATO military base and nuclear weapons in Lithuania will mark yet another escalation of tensions, and Russia will be forced to take retaliatory measures, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.