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Russia has warned Lithuania that any move to host nuclear weapons belonging to its NATO allies would make the Baltic country a potential target for Moscow’s nuclear arsenal.
The warning came after Lithuania began the process of removing a constitutional restriction that prevents the storage of nuclear weapons on its territory. The proposed change is part of efforts by Vilnius to strengthen its security position following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The constitutional amendment is currently before Lithuania’s parliament and requires the backing of two-thirds of lawmakers to pass. President Gitanas Nauseda and several major political parties have supported it, and officials expect it could take effect this winter.
Responding to the development, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the move as a significant escalation in regional tensions.
“It would be a very serious turn in terms of escalating tensions,” Peskov said in an interview with Russian state television.
He added that if NATO nuclear weapons were deployed in Lithuania, Moscow would respond by including the country among the targets of its nuclear forces.
“If there are nuclear weapons on the territory that are aimed at us, accordingly, the territory of that country will fall into the crosshairs of our own nuclear weapons,” Peskov said.
Nauseda said Lithuania sought to become “an integral part of this nuclear deterrence,” as the alliance continues to strengthen its eastern flank.
Lithuania, which shares a border with Russia’s Kaliningrad region and is located near Belarus, has increased its focus on defence capabilities since the war in Ukraine began. The country has repeatedly called for stronger NATO protection, citing security risks from its eastern neighbours.
The debate over nuclear deployments in Lithuania comes as NATO members review their defence strategies and reinforce military positions across eastern Europe, where tensions between Russia and the alliance have intensified in recent years.
