Minsk is increasingly siding with Russia in the war with Ukraine and the West. The US is "prepared to send soldiers to Kiev."
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| [Russian Nuclear Weapons] |
Belarus may soon relinquish its status as a "non-nuclear state" as a result of a weekend vote labelled a "farce" by the EU. According to Brussels, this is a "risky move" since it allows Russia to transfer nuclear weapons. The US believes that Minsk is now planning not only to provide a logistical base for Vladimir Putin's army, but also to enter the front lines of the fight with Ukraine, putting troops on the ground to reinforce Russian troops.
Using a "Belarus intends to "amend the Constitution and confer the nation the status of a 'nuclear state': this is a very hazardous move," said the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell. It implies that Minsk will become a nuclear power: Russia would instantly dispatch nuclear weapons to Belarus ", stated Borrell during a meeting with EU military ministers.
Several rallies against the vote erupted across the country in recent weeks, with around 800 people imprisoned. According to the initial official figures, the constitutional amendments were supported by 65 percent of voters. The legislation features a slew of provisions aimed at bolstering President Alexandre Lukashenko's influence, beginning with life immunity from Belarusian justice once he leaves office.
What concerns the international world the most is Minsk's abandoning of nuclear neutrality, which it has maintained since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Lukashenko has stated unequivocally that he plans to request that Russia restore the nuclear weapons that were stolen from the nation during the disintegration of the USSR. If the West sends "nuclear weapons to Poland or Lithuania, near our borders," the president said on Sunday, "I will resort to Putin to obtain back the nuclear weapons that I handed away without any conditions." Around the same time, Putin frightened Western chancelleries by declaring that he had activated nuclear defences.
All signs point to the same conclusion: Belarus might join the Russian front in Ukraine, not only as a logistical platform, but also by sending troops there. The US military authorities are certain of this because they have knowledge regarding Minsk army preparations that are already in the works. The distance between the Belarussian border and the beleaguered city of Kiev is only 150 kilometres.