During his annual address to lawmakers and government officials on Friday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced that Russia, which has already agreed to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, may also deploy intercontinental nuclear missiles there if necessary.
Lukashenko stated that Moscow’s plans to place nuclear arms on Belarusian territory would help protect Belarus from threats from the West. He emphasized that he is not trying to intimidate or blackmail anyone, but rather wants to safeguard the Belarusian state and ensure peace for its people.
Although Russian President Vladimir Putin clarified on Saturday that the tactical missiles would remain under Moscow’s control, Lukashenko implied that he could use them with Russia’s agreement if Belarus was under the threat of destruction. Lukashenko also raised the possibility of deploying strategic nuclear weapons, such as intercontinental ballistic missiles, on Belarusian soil.
Lukashenko claimed that Belarus had enough conventional weapons to counter threats, but would use all resources available if the country was under attack. He also accused the West of planning to invade Belarus and destroy the country. However, he did not provide any evidence to support these allegations.
Russia’s decision to deploy tactical nuclear missiles in Belarus amid heightened tensions with the West over its invasion of Ukraine is its first deployment of nuclear weapons outside its borders since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The United Nations Security Council met on Friday to discuss Putin’s plans, with the United States and Albania requesting the meeting. The U.S. accused Putin of “escalating Russia’s dangerous and destabilizing behavior” by threatening to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus.
Belarus stated that the weapons would protect against what it called a campaign of pressure from the United States and its allies aimed at overthrowing Lukashenko, who has been in power for almost three decades. U.S. President Joe Biden expressed concern about the promised deployment. Lukashenko also called for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict, warning that Russia would use “the most terrible weapon” if it felt threatened. The Kremlin acknowledged Lukashenko’s ceasefire proposal and said Putin and Lukashenko would have an opportunity to discuss it next week, but that the situation in Ukraine had not changed.