Russia has explicitly warned that any U.S. nuclear weapons stationed in Poland will be considered primary targets in the event of a direct military confrontation with NATO. The gravity of the situation was underscored by Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova during a briefing, where she conveyed Moscow’s staunch opposition to Poland’s openness to hosting NATO allies’ nuclear weapons, as reported by TASS.
“The Polish authorities have made no secret of their ambitions in terms of how to ‘cuddle up to’ the U.S nuclear weapons deployed in Europe, they have been talking about this for a long time,” Zakharova stated. She expressed her concerns over what she perceived as Warsaw’s attempt to draw increased military scrutiny from Russia, saying, “The impression is that Warsaw is maniacally seeking to attract even more attention from military planners in the Russian General Staff.”
The tension over NATO’s nuclear posture in Eastern Europe has escalated following Polish President Andrzej Duda’s announcement indicating his country’s readiness to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank by hosting nuclear weapons. Poland’s position has been characterized as part of a broader commitment to the credibility and effectiveness of Allied nuclear deterrence, with the Polish Defense Ministry asserting that such measures are pivotal in maintaining security for Poland and the Alliance as a whole.
Amid these developments, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited Warsaw, discussing increased defense spending with Polish and U.K. officials. However, discussions regarding the positioning of nuclear weapons in Poland were notably absent from official statements during the visit.
Kremlin’s stance on the potential deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons in Poland was made clear when Spokeswoman Zakharova added, “As you can assume, in the event U.S. nuclear weapons appear on Polish soil, the relevant facilities will immediately be added to the list of legitimate targets to be hit in the scenario of a direct military confrontation with NATO.”
This warning aligns with previous comments from Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who cautioned that such a move by the U.S. would compel Russia to “take all the necessary retaliatory steps to guarantee our security.” The placement of nuclear arms in Poland is perceived by Moscow as a significant escalation, potentially transforming the European security landscape and raising the specter of further conflict.
Moreover, Ryabkov, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, bolstered the message, warning that Polish-hosted NATO nuclear facilities would be included among Moscow’s primary targets should tensions escalate to an armed conflict.
The situation is further complicated by Belarusian movements, with President Alexander Lukashenko positioning troops nearer to the Polish border and voicing concerns about becoming embroiled in the conflict due to the proximity to Ukraine and NATO actions.
NATO, for its part, has not publicly responded to the recent statements from Russia. The U.S. tactical nuclear weapons currently reside in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkey, with Poland potentially joining this list should the proposals go ahead.
Relevant articles:
– Russia will target NATO nuclear weapons in Poland if they appear, TASS says, jpost.com, 04/26/2024
– Putin Ally Draws Red Line for ‘Legitimate Targets’ in NATO Country, Newsweek, Thu, 25 Apr 2024 15:01:35 GMT
– Russia threatens to strike POLAND: Kremlin says NATO nukes deployed in the country will be a ‘primary target’ – as Belarus leader warns of ‘apocalypse’, Daily Mail, Thu, 25 Apr 2024 15:17:39 GMT
– Russia war live: Nato nuclear weapons sent to Poland will be a priority target, Kremlin threatens, The Telegraph, Thu, 25 Apr 2024 13:12:20 GMT
– Russia warns against US nuclear presence in Poland, Türkiye Newspaper, Thu, 25 Apr 2024 14:34:19 GMT