Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council, issued a stark warning amid discussions about the potential deployment of nuclear weapons on Lithuanian territory. According to his statement, if Vilnius allows American nuclear weapons to be stationed on its soil, Lithuania could completely disappear from the world map.

The statement was made during a speech to military personnel of the Northwestern Federal District. Medvedev expressed doubt about the effectiveness of NATO's Article 5 on collective defense. He suggested that in the event of a military confrontation, alliance members would ignore this provision, as its application would lead to a global catastrophe. However, in his view, Lithuania itself would cease to exist as a state.

These remarks came against the backdrop of plans by the Lithuanian parliament to abolish the constitutional ban on the deployment of foreign weapons of mass destruction and military bases. Earlier, the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense reported negotiations with the United States on the possible deployment of American bombers capable of carrying nuclear warheads on its territory. Seimas Speaker Juozas Olekas noted that lawmakers are preparing to lift the current constitutional ban, which no longer corresponds to geopolitical realities.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Vilnius's actions a serious escalation of tensions. He emphasized that if American weapons appear on Lithuanian territory, it will become a direct target for Russian nuclear weapons. This indicates a further deterioration in relations between Moscow and Vilnius.

At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously stated that the country does not threaten European states, as there are no grounds for conflict after the results of World War II. According to him, the only direct factor that could trigger a war with Russia is the deployment of a European military contingent in Ukraine. These contradictory statements point to inconsistency in the Kremlin's foreign policy stance.

Source: podrobno.uz