Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said he’ll give nuclear weapons to states willing to join with Russia and Belarus, according to reports.
“It’s very simple. You have to join the union between Belarus and Russia, and that’s it: There will be nuclear weapons for everyone,” Lukashenko said on Russian state TV, as reported by NBC News.
“I think it’s possible,” Lukashenko said, per NBC, noting that he was expressing his personal view. “We need to strategically understand that we have a unique chance to unite.”
The comments come after the Belarusian leader and Russian President Vladimir Putin last week went ahead with a deal to deploy Moscow’s tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine.
The move of the weapons, which Putin announced earlier this year, has been interpreted by some as a warning to NATO. The Russian president has repeatedly threatened nuclear weapon use amid its ongoing war.
“Don’t worry about nuclear weapons. We are responsible for this. These are serious issues. Everything will be alright here,” Lukashenko said to Russian state news agency Belta, as reported by CNN. Belarus and Russia formed their “Union State” partnership in 1999.
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