Russia warns NATO against moving nuclear weapons east

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s top diplomat has warned NATO against redeploying U.S. atomic weapons to Eastern Europe if Germany refuses to keep hosting them. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday that moving the weapons east would be irresponsible and provocative. Lavrov was responding to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s comment this month that the alliance would need to consider relocating nuclear weapons east if the new German government changes the country’s policy on nuclear sharing. Lavrov described Stoltenberg’s statement as “absolutely irresponsible” and “outrageous.” He alleged to members of the upper house of Russia’s parliament that it was “an attempt to provoke a hot conflict.”