Russia's plan to station nuclear weapons in Belarus dangerous and irresponsible, Nato says
Nato has said Russia's plan to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus is "dangerous and irresponsible" and a threat to the country's nuclear non-proliferation commitments.
The Russian president likened his move to the US stationing its weapons in Europe, while insisting that Russia would not violate its nuclear non-proliferation promises.
In a statement, the alliance said: "Nato is vigilant. We are closely monitoring the situation and we have not seen any changes in Russia's nuclear posture that would lead us to adjust our own."
The Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, or NPT, is a landmark international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote co-operation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament.
Washington has reportedly played down concerns about Putin's announcement, with Nato saying that Putin's non-proliferation pledge and his description of US weapons deployment overseas were way off the mark.
Nato spokesperson Oana Lungescu said: "Russia's reference to Nato's nuclear sharing is totally misleading.
"Nato allies act with full respect of their international commitments.
"Russia has consistently broken its arms control commitments, most recently suspending its participation in the New START Treaty.
"Russia must return to compliance and act in good faith," she added.
Nuclear war risk remains 'extremely low'
Reportedly Washington continues to see no change in the potential for Moscow to use nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine, with it and Nato saying the news would not affect their own nuclear position.
Analysts from the US think tank Institute for War (ISW) said the risk of escalation to nuclear war following the announcement remained "extremely low".
In a Twitter post, the ISW said: "The announcement of the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus is irrelevant to the risk of escalation to nuclear war, which remains extremely low."
The analysts believe that "Putin has likely sought to deploy Russian nuclear weapons to Belarus since before the February 2022 invasion of #Ukraine and has likely chosen this moment to do so in order to serve the immediate information operation he is now conducting".
Some believe this to be some of Russia's clearest nuclear signals since the beginning of its invasion of Ukraine 13 months ago, leading to Ukraine calling for a meeting of the UN Security Council in response.
Belarus a 'nuclear hostage'
Oleksiy Danilov, a top security adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said Russia's plan would destabilise Belarus, which he said had been taken "hostage" by Moscow.
Mr Danilov said: "Putin's statement about placing tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus – a step towards internal destabilization of the country – maximizes the level of negative perception and public rejection of Russia and Putin in Belarusian society.
"The Kremlin took Belarus as a nuclear hostage."
Another security adviser to Mr Zelenskiy, Mykhailo Podolyak, mocked Mr Putin's plan on Twitter.
Mr Podolyak said: "Putin (RF) is too predictable. Making a statement about tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, he admits that he is afraid of losing and all he can do is scare with tactics... Second. He once again states his involvement in the crime. Violating the nuclear non-proliferation treaty..."
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Sunday urged Belarus to opt out of the deal with Mr Putin, warning the country could face further sanctions if it went through with it.
But Mr Borrell did state that "Belarus can still stop it, it is their choice".
On Twitter, he said: "Belarus hosting Russian nuclear weapons would mean an irresponsible escalation & threat to European security. Belarus can still stop it, it is their choice.
"The EU stands ready to respond with further sanctions."
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