Russia has struck a deal with neighboring Belarus to station tactical nuclear weapons on its territory but will not violate non-proliferation agreements, President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had long raised the issue of stationing tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, which borders Poland, Putin told state television.
“There is nothing unusual here either: firstly, the United States has been doing this for decades. They have long deployed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allied countries,” he said.
Get daily National news
“We agreed that we will do the same – without violating our obligations, I emphasize, without violating our international obligations on the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons.”
Russia will have completed the construction of a storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus by July 1, Putin said, adding that Moscow would not actually be transferring control of the arms to Minsk.
- Ahead of budget, Poilievre urges Carney to end diesel taxes and cut spending
- Election workers prepare for contested results ahead of U.S. midterms
- Elections Alberta recommends 2027 vote be delayed as gerrymandering accusations fly
- ‘Associate’ EU membership for Canada not a ‘short-term’ project: expert
Russia has stationed 10 aircraft in Belarus capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons, he said, adding that Moscow had already transferred to Belarus a number of Iskander tactical missile systems that can be used to launch nuclear weapons.
(Reporting by David Ljunggren in Ottawa. Editing by Matthew Lewis and Deepa Babington)
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.