Russia Will Attack These Countries If Ukraine Concedes Land: Lawmaker

Service members of pro-Russian troops are seen atop of tanks during Ukraine-Russia conflict on the outskirts of the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine, on March 20, 2022. Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters

Russia will attack other neighboring countries in Europe if Ukraine’s government concedes land to Moscow, a Ukrainian lawmaker claimed on Monday.

The lawmaker, Oleksiy Goncharenko, told CNBC that he believes the Russian government will target the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia if Ukraine concedes land. The three Baltic states—who share a border with Russia—are members of NATO, and a significant attack on any of those countries would likely trigger NATO’s Article 5 provision, greatly escalating the conflict.