Deployment of nuclear weapons in Baltics won't increase security, warns Kremlin

The Kremlin has stated that any attempt to deploy nuclear weapons in the Baltic region, particularly by Lithuania, would not increase security and would instead compel Russia to take retaliatory measures. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov cautioned that such a move would considerably heighten the danger for the countries involved, as Russia would act to guarantee its own interests.

This warning comes after Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda suggested removing the country's constitutional prohibition on stationing nuclear weapons domestically. Nauseda's proposal aims to enable Lithuania, which shares borders with Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, to contribute to nuclear deterrence.

Peskov drew a parallel with Finland's earlier decision, suggesting that Baltic nations might follow suit. He noted that Lithuania would need to amend its constitution, which currently forbids the placement of weapons of mass destruction and foreign military bases on its territory. Such an amendment requires approval in two parliamentary votes, with at least 94 out of 141 members supporting it in each vote, separated by a minimum of three months.