Putin and Lukashenko Sign Treaty Cementing Deployment of Russian Nuclear Arms in Belarus

Russian leader Vladimir Putin approved the treaty and formally integrated Belarus into Russia’s nuclear strategy, following a constitutional change in 2022 that enabled Belarus to host such weapons, Russian media RTVI reported on December 6.

This latest agreement, signed by Putin and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, finalizes the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear arms in Belarus, effectively putting control of these weapons under Moscow’s “nuclear button” and gives Lukashenko the same button for nuclear weapons, stationed in Belarus.

“Today we will sign an interstate treaty on security guarantees within the framework of the Union State. It establishes mutual allied obligations for ensuring defense, protecting the sovereignty, independence, and constitutional order of Russia and Belarus, as well as the integrity and inviolability of the territory and external border of the Union State,” Putin said.

“This includes the use of all available forces and means. Specifically, this refers to Russian tactical nuclear weapons stationed on the territory of the Republic of Belarus at the suggestion of the President of Belarus,” Putin added.

Lukashenko assured that Russian nuclear weapons deployed on the Belarusian territory would not be used without his permission.

“But if Belarus needs it, it will be used,” the politician warned. According to him, it’s possible in case foreign troops invasion of the republic.

Belarus became a signatory of the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in 1993 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, committing to remain a non-nuclear state.

However, Belarus broke the treaty in 2022 when Belarus amended its constitution, removing its long-standing commitment to a nuclear-free zone. The constitutional change paved the way for the arrival of Russian nuclear weapons in 2023, signaling a departure from its obligations under the treaty.

With this move, Belarus has officially violated the Treaty on the NPT after cementing a bilateral agreement with Russia granting it access to Russian nuclear weapons stationed on its territory.

In this latest step, the newly signed bilateral agreement establishes that Belarus will act as a hosting state for Russian nuclear arms, including provisions for their potential use.

Lukashenko repeatedly justified this shift by citing unfounded claims of Western plans to attack Belarus, threatening nuclear retaliation as a deterrent.

The presence of nuclear weapons in Belarus places them in close proximity to Ukraine and NATO’s eastern flank, including Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia.

Earlier, Belarusian Hajun, an open source intelligence project monitoring the military activity of Russian and Belarusian troops on the territory of Belarus reported that Belarus may be involved in the development of Russia’s Oreshnik missile system, which was used in the attack on Dnipro on November 21.