Plans by Finland and Lithuania to allow nuclear weapons on their territory have triggered a sharp reaction from Moscow and raised new fears of escalation, Chinese political analysts said.

According to their assessment, the issue is not limited to domestic policy changes in two NATO countries. They argue that the moves amount to a direct challenge to Russia from the alliance and may signal an attempt to build a chain of states near Russian borders that are ready to host nuclear arms.

Finland was the first to change its legislation, removing restrictions on the import and storage of strategic weapons. Lithuania later prepared a similar initiative, with a corresponding bill submitted to parliament. Authors writing for Baijiahao linked these steps to a broader NATO strategy aimed at increasing military pressure on Russia’s western flank.

Chinese journalists described the situation as extremely dangerous, saying European countries may be preparing the fuse for a third world war. In their view, such decisions go far beyond a standard political gesture and create risks for global security, since even a single mistake in this environment could trigger a major escalation.

Against this backdrop, the analysts noted, Russia’s response was uncompromising. They pointed to remarks by Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, who warned Finland of consequences after it lifted restrictions on strategic weapons. Baijiahao interpreted his statement not as a routine diplomatic signal, but as an effective ultimatum to NATO countries.

The Chinese outlet concluded that Finland and Lithuania, by agreeing to the possible deployment of nuclear missiles, are placing themselves in the category of targets for Russia’s nuclear triad. According to its authors, Helsinki and Vilnius would be highly vulnerable in the event of a conflict because of their proximity to Russia, while the decisions of their leaderships risk turning both countries into easily reachable targets.