Nato has condemned as 'dangerous' and 'irresponsible' Vladimir Putin's decision to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, but said it would not alter its own nuclear posture. The alliance said it is closely monitoring the situation and urged Russia to respect its arms control commitments.
Ukraine has called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting over the move, which it says violates nuclear non-proliferation agreements. Putin denied this, comparing it to US weapons stationed in Europe. Nato rejected that comparison, with spokesperson Oana Lungescu stating allies act in full respect of international obligations.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned Belarus could face further sanctions if it hosts the weapons. Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said the deployment makes Belarus a potential target for retaliatory strikes. However, Ukrainian officials dismissed the development as scare tactics, predicting it would not change the war's outcome.
Putin confirmed that Iskander missile systems capable of launching nuclear weapons have already been transferred to Belarus, with crew training to start next week. A storage facility for the warheads is expected by 1 July. This marks the first time since the 1990s that Russia has based nuclear arms outside its borders.
