Russia's deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus challenges NATO – MEP Auštrevičius

Lithuanian politician and MEP Petras Auštrevičius says that Lukashenko's regime no longer has a decisive say in strategic and defense decisions

He shared his opinions with Espreso TV.

"The leadership of Belarus is very difficult to predict. Lukashenko's regime no longer has a decisive say in strategic and defense decisions, it has been Moscow’s pressure. Lukashenko was forced to agree to the deployment of nuclear weapons. But Lukashenko presents this as a request from Minsk. As if Belarus is under pressure from NATO," said Auštrevičius.

According to the MEP, all of Lukashenko's statements clearly show that Belarus is increasingly falling into Russia's arms.

"Russia openly dictates all decisions to Minsk. Russia's deployment of nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus is a challenge for NATO countries, it is a factor of intimidation. Moscow and Minsk must understand that Lithuania and Poland are NATO countries. Therefore, our response is not the response of Lithuania and Poland, it is the response of NATO," Austrevicius emphasized.

• On March 25, Vladimir Putin said that a storage facility for Russian tactical nuclear weapons would be completed in Belarus by July 1. 

• The Institute for the Study of War reported that Putin announced the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus in order to intimidate the West and reduce the effectiveness of Ukraine's counteroffensive.

• Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksii Danilov said that the deployment of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus increases the level of public rejection of Russia and Putin in Belarusian society. In turn, Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to the head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, said that with this statement, Vladimir Putin admits to fear of losing the war.

• The German Foreign Ministry criticized Russia's deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus and called it an "attempt to intimidate."

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reacted to Russia's intentions to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus and demanded that the UN Security Council be convened.  

• The European Union's head of diplomacy, Josep Borrell, said that if Russia deploys nuclear weapons in Belarus, the EU will impose new sanctions. In turn, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs called this intention of the Russian president a step toward further involving the country in the military machine.

• The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry called for additional economic restrictions against Moscow and Minsk to be included in the new EU sanctions package because of the Kremlin's statements about the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus. 

• On March 27, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Beijing does not approve of Russia's intention to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.