Belarus will deploy Russian “tactical” nuclear weapons in response to “unprecedented” Western “pressure,” Belarus’ foreign ministry said in a statement Tuesday.
“Belarus has been under unprecedented pressure (…) from the United States, Great Britain and their allies for two and a half years,” Belarusian diplomacy points out, denouncing “direct and gross interference” in Minsk’s internal affairs.
The economic and political sanctions against this ex-Soviet republic allied with Russia are accompanied by the “strengthening of NATO’s military potential” on the territory of the member countries of neighboring Belarus, she continued.
In this regard, Belarus is “forced to take countermeasures,” Belarusian diplomacy stressed, while assuring that Minsk will not have control over these weapons and that their use “in no way contradicts Articles I and II of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.” .
On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced he had the Minsk agreement to station “tactical” nuclear weapons in Belarus, a country on the doorstep of the EU that has been led by Alexander Lukashenko, his closest ally, since 1994.
According to the Russian President, preparations for this mission should begin next month.
The announcement drew strong criticism from the West, as NATO had denounced “dangerous and irresponsible rhetoric” by Russia, while the European Union threatened Minsk with new sanctions should the operation go ahead.
The United States has reiterated that it has no reason to believe Russia is preparing to use nuclear weapons, while condemning the Russian announcement.
While Belarus is not directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine, Moscow used its territory to lead its offensive on Kiev last year.
Russian officials have repeatedly issued thinly veiled threats to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine if the conflict escalates significantly.