EU threatens to impose sanctions over deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus

The deployment of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus would mean further "irresponsible escalation" and pose a threat to European security, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell wrote on his Twitter account. Minsk, he said, can still stop this.

“The EU is ready to respond with further sanctions,” Borrell said.

The deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus was announced on March 25 by Russian President Vladimir Putin . According to him, Moscow has already helped Minsk convert planes capable of using this type of weapon, and handed over the Iskander complex, which can be a carrier of such weapons.

The President also said that from April 3, RUSSIA will begin training Belarusian crews, and by July it will build a storage facility for nuclear weapons in Belarus.

Putin explained that the deployment of nuclear weapons will take place, since the corresponding question has long been raised by the President of Belarus ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO . At the same time, an additional reason for such a decision was the UK's plans to supply Kyiv with depleted uranium ammunition, he said.

The British Ministry of Defense announced plans to deliver shells with depleted uranium to Ukraine on March 21. Putin, commenting on this at a meeting in Moscow with Chinese President Xi Jinping, said that "the collective West is already beginning to use weapons with a nuclear component." The British Ministry of Defense considered this "disinformation". “This is a standard component, it has nothing to do with nuclear weapons or capabilities. Russia is aware of this, but is deliberately trying to misinform,” the ministry said.

Commenting on Russia's plans to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus, a NATO official said the alliance is closely monitoring the situation. At the same time, the organization saw no change in Russia's nuclear stance that would force NATO to adjust its own, he added.