On May 5, TASS news agency quoted Gennady Gatilov, Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations Office in Geneva, warning that Finland's permission to bring and store nuclear weapons on its territory will create more risks to Russia's security.
Speaking to Izvestia newspaper, Mr. Gatilov made a comment after the Finnish government submitted to parliament a proposal to allow the import and storage of nuclear weapons in this country.
According to the Russian diplomat, if nuclear weapons appear in European countries that do not possess this type of weapon, including possibly Finland, it will directly affect Russia's national security.
Mr. Gatilov said Moscow has repeatedly called on the US to withdraw nuclear weapons from Europe and dismantle related infrastructure. He believes that the risk of nuclear weapons being deployed in European countries is increasing significantly.
The Russian diplomat also mentioned French President Emmanuel Macron's plan to build a common "nuclear bunker" for Europe. This idea was put forward by Mr. Macron in March 2025. After that, Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Denmark said they were ready to discuss this issue.
According to TASS, Poland is said to have gone further in planning joint air force exercises with France in the Baltic Sea. The exercise is expected to involve Rafale fighters, a type of aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
The Russian side believes that this operation is aimed at rehearsing attacks on important targets in the St. Petersburg area.
Commenting on the plan, Mr. Gatilov accused the Polish leader of having an anti-Russian stance and not hiding nuclear ambitions. He said Warsaw was looking for an excuse to expand confrontational actions with Moscow.
Referring to Russia's activities at the United Nations, Mr. Gatilov said Moscow continues to emphasize the importance of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. According to him, participating countries need to fully comply with this treaty, because it is one of the foundations of international security and stability.
However, the Russian diplomat said that the parties opposing Moscow are currently not ready for dialogue in a constructive and mutually respectful spirit.
