Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus and a Russian ally, stated that countries that are willing to join the “Union State of Russia and Belarus” will receive nuclear weapons as a reward.
During an interview with state-run Russia 1 channel, Lukashenko made this comment days after Moscow transferred some tactical nuclear arms to Minsk due to differences with the United States over the Ukraine conflict. He stated that if any country desired to join with a Russia-Belarus union, “nuclear weapons for everyone” could be provided.
Lukashenko said, “No one minds Kazakhstan and other countries having the same close relations that we have with the Russian Federation,” which CNN reported.
Belarusian autocrat’s remarks on handing out nuclear weapons to like-minded allies are expected to raise concerns, especially amidst the increasing global proliferation of such weapons. This comes at a time when Russia’s nuclear arsenal is growing exponentially under Vladimir Putin, who poses a threat to the world amid his invasion of Ukraine.
The Agreement on Establishment of the Union State of Belarus and Russia Treaty, which was signed in 1999, provides a legal framework for a comprehensive alliance between the two allies. Various aspects such as the economy, information, technology, agriculture, and border security are covered in this agreement.
Meanwhile, the Belarusian Defense Ministry stated over the weekend that Moscow sent another unit of the S-400 mobile, surface-to-air missile systems, and they will be ready for combat duty soon.
