Russia has warned Lithuania that any decision to host nuclear weapons belonging to NATO allies would make the Baltic country a potential target for Moscow’s nuclear forces.
The warning followed Lithuania’s move to begin the process of removing a constitutional restriction that currently prohibits the storage of nuclear weapons on its territory.
The proposed amendment, which is before Lithuania’s parliament, is part of efforts by Vilnius to strengthen its security posture following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The amendment requires the support of two-thirds of lawmakers to pass. President Gitanas Nauseda and several major political parties have backed the proposal, with officials expecting it could take effect this winter.
Responding to the development, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the move as a serious escalation of regional tensions.
“It would be a very serious turn in terms of escalating tensions,” Peskov said in an interview with Russian state television.
Peskov warned that if NATO nuclear weapons were deployed in Lithuania, Moscow would include 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,” he said.
Lithuanian President Nauseda first announced the plan in July, saying the country wanted to play a greater role in NATO’s nuclear deterrence strategy.
Nauseda said Lithuania sought to become “an integral part of this nuclear deterrence” as NATO continues to strengthen its eastern flank.
Lithuania shares a border with Russia’s Stalingrad region and is located near Belarus. Since the war in Ukraine began, Vilnius has increased its focus on defence capabilities and repeatedly called for stronger NATO protection, citing security concerns over its eastern neighbours.
The debate over a possible nuclear deployment 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.
