Ukraine has called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council after Russia announced it would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.
“Russian President Vladimir Putin’s declaration of intent to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus is another provocative step that undermines nuclear disarmament efforts and the entire international security system,” the ministry said. Ukraine’s foreign affairs said in a statement on March 26.
Ukraine also called on Belarus to block Russia’s plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons on its territory.
“Ukraine calls on Belarus to prevent the implementation of intentions to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus, which violates its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, with dire consequences for the future. theirs,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Kiev also called on the Group of 7 industrialized countries (G7) and the European Union (EU) to warn the Belarusian authorities of “long-term consequences” if they receive Russian tactical nuclear weapons on its territory. me.
“Ukraine expects Britain, China, the United States, and France, as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, to have a special responsibility to prevent threats to use nuclear weapons. We urge the United Nations Security Council to hold an extraordinary meeting immediately for this purpose,” Ukraine’s foreign ministry added.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry also “calls on all members of the international community to express their opposition” to Russia’s latest “nuclear provocations”.
The statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine came after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on March 26 that Moscow would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus – Russia’s neighbor and close ally.
Putin said that Russia has delivered several nuclear-capable Iskander tactical missile systems to Belarus, which borders three NATO members Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia. He said that Russia will begin training on its use from April 3 and is expected to complete the construction of a special tactical nuclear weapons depot on the territory of Belarus by July 1.
According to the Russian leader, the President of Belarus has long raised the issue of the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus, so “this is not unusual”. Putin also affirmed that this move of Moscow is similar to the US deployment of nuclear weapons in Europe.
NATO criticized Russia for its “dangerous and irresponsible” nuclear claims. Meanwhile, Lithuania’s foreign ministry said it would call for new sanctions against Russia in response to Moscow’s plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.
When asked about the Russian President’s statement about the introduction of tactical nuclear weapons into Belarus, the US National Security Council’s Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said: “We will have to monitor and See where this goes.”
“We have not seen any indication that Russia has fulfilled this commitment, or moved any nuclear weapons,” Kirby added.
