Russia warns NATO over Finland, Lithuania nuclear weapons plans

Russia warned that any decision by Finland or Lithuania to host nuclear weapons would raise regional danger and could trigger Russian counter‑measures. The warning follows Finland’s legislative change on 1 July that removed restrictions on importing and storing strategic weapons, and Lithuania’s parliamentary debate on lifting its constitutional ban on such weapons. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was closely monitoring the developments and stated, “On the contrary, this will significantly raise the level of danger for them, because countermeasures will be taken against such countries to ensure our interests.” Chinese analysts also described the moves as a “direct challenge” to Russia, warning they could “prepare the fuse for a third world war.” The Kremlin and Russian Foreign Ministry have characterized the potential deployment of nuclear arms in neighboring NATO states as a threat to regional stability that would require an “appropriate response.”