EU threatens Belarus with sanctions if it hosts Russian nuclear weapons | War in Ukraine
Josep Borrell, the head of European diplomacy, has threatened to tighten the screws in Minsk.
EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell warned on Sunday that the EU was “ready” to adopt new sanctions against Belarus if that country deployed Russian nuclear weapons on its territory.
Belarus' hosting of Russian nuclear weapons would be an irresponsible escalation and a threat to European security. Belarus can still stop this, it's their choice. The EU stands ready to respond with new sanctions, Borrell said on Twitter.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Moscow would deploy tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of its ally, Belarus, a country on the doorstep of the European Union.
Russia's nuclear rhetoric is dangerous and irresponsible, NATO said on Sunday.
“NATO is vigilant and we are monitoring the situation closely. We have seen no changes in Russia's nuclear posture that would cause us to adjust ours.
— Oana Lungescu, agency spokesperson
Russian officials have repeatedly issued thinly veiled threats to use the nuclear weapon in Ukraine in the event of a significant escalation of the conflict.
The EU announced at the end of February the extension of its sanctions against Belarus for one year because of the repression carried out by the regime of Alexander Lukashenko and its support for the war led by Russia in Ukraine.
President Alexander Lukashenko and 194 other figures close to the regime have been banned from entering the EU and their assets have been frozen.
In addition, 34 entities have been sanctioned and are prohibited from all European funding.
Belarus is also subject to targeted economic sanctions, including restrictions in the financial sector, trade, dual-use goods, telecommunications, energy, transport.
Vladimir Putin justified the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus by the deployments of American weapons in Europe.
There is nothing x27;unusual here: the US has been doing this for decades. They have long deployed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allies, the Russian president said. We agreed to do the same, he added, making it clear that we had the Minsk agreement.
Russia's reference to nuclear sharing of the NATO is totally misleading. NATO Allies act in full respect of their international commitments. Russia has consistently violated its arms control commitments, recently suspending its participation in the New START treaty, the NATO spokeswoman reacted.
