The European Union warned of the agreement between Moscow and Minsk to deploy Russian nuclear warheads in Belarus.
“This is a step that will lead to a further, very dangerous escalation,” said Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign policy chief.
Russia on Thursday moved forward with its plan to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, whose president said warheads were already on the way. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the plan in March.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that he was in the process of signing with Minsk documents on procedures for storing such weapons in Belarus.
Borrell said the decision violated several international conventions.
“We call on Russia to respect these obligations,” he added.
“The regime in Belarus is complicit in the illegal and unjustified war on Ukraine,” he said.
“We call on the authorities in Belarus to immediately end their support for the war on Ukraine and to reverse decisions that will only lead to an escalation of tensions in the region and undermining the sovereignty of Belarus,” he added.
He said any attempt to “escalate the situation further will be met with a strong and coordinated response”.
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2023-05-26 21:17:12
