Lukashenko Sees Nuke Deployment to Belarus as Response to Militarization of Eastern Europe
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The deployment of tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus is an appropriate response to the rapid militarization of Eastern Europe, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said in his message to participants in the 11th Moscow Conference on International Security.
"By deploying tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, we are appropriately responding to the rapid militarization of Eastern Europe and the increased military activities of the United States and NATO," Lukashenko pointed out, as cited by his press service, TASS reported.
However, this does not cancel out the peace initiatives that Minsk is promoting "in order to relaunch a dialogue on issues pertaining to European and global security on an equal footing," he added.
The Belarusian leader stressed that the international situation was tense like never before. "International laws on arms control have been discredited," Lukashenko noted, adding: "The risks are growing that weapons of mass destruction will be used, particularly for provocations involving nuclear and biological weapons."
The Belarusian head of state went on to say that information wars and cybercrime had become new types of weapons, undermining the system of international trade and economic ties. "Together with its partners and within the Belarus-Russia Union State, Minsk has been making every possible effort to strengthen cooperation in combating transnational challenges and various kinds of threats," Lukashenko stressed.
According to him, meetings involving multilateral dialogue on the priority issues of global and regional security "make it possible for professionals to exchange views, comprehensively assess developments across the globe and synchronize agendas in terms of the key problems related to preserving peace."
