Putin Asserts Agreement with Belarus Will Not Violate Non-Proliferation Pacts

In a significant development, Russia has reached an agreement with Belarus to station tactical nuclear weapons on its smaller neighbour’s territory, a move that will position part of Russia’s nuclear arsenal closer to Europe. President Vladimir Putin made the announcement on state television, arguing that the arrangement would not breach non-proliferation agreements and likened it to similar nuclear deployments by the United States with several of its European allies.

Putin explained that the decision followed negotiations with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who had long raised the issue of hosting Russian nuclear weapons on Belarusian soil. He emphasized that there was nothing unusual about the move, drawing comparisons to U.S. nuclear deployments in Europe. “The United States has been doing this for decades,” Putin said. “They have long deployed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allied countries.”

It is estimated by the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation that around 100 American nuclear weapons, primarily airborne gravity bombs, are stored across six bases in Europe. However, they remain under U.S. control. Putin assured that Russia would act in a similar manner and would not violate its obligations under the non-proliferation treaty.

This announcement marks a shift in Russia’s nuclear strategy. Although Putin has previously escalated nuclear rhetoric following the invasion of Ukraine, this is the first time he has explicitly stated plans to station nuclear weapons in another country.

According to the Federation of American Scientists, Russia has approximately 5,977 nuclear warheads in its stockpile, giving it the capability to strike any target worldwide. The U.S. nuclear arsenal is slightly smaller, with 5,428 warheads.

Following Putin’s announcement, the U.S. Department of Defense responded by stating that there were no indications of Russia preparing to use nuclear weapons. A spokesperson for the department emphasized that, while they would continue to monitor the situation, there was no reason to adjust the U.S. strategic nuclear posture. The department also reiterated its commitment to the collective defense of the NATO alliance.

Belarus, which has been one of Russia’s few remaining allies, allowed the Kremlin to launch its invasion of Ukraine from its territory in February 2022. However, despite this close cooperation, Belarus has not directly joined the war and an attack from its territory remains unlikely at present.