Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko warned on Tuesday that he would be willing to use Russian tactical nuclear weapons if any foreign soldier steps foot inside Belarus.
“Why do we need them? To make sure not a single foreign soldier sets their foot on the Belarusian land,” he said, according to Belta. “A response will be immediate. I have declared this several times already.”
“There will be no hesitation in the event of an aggression against us," Lukashenko added.
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Russia announced weeks ago that it was preparing to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, which has been providing Moscow with a staging ground for attacks inside Ukraine since Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded the country last year. Tactical nuclear weapons can be used to attack enemy troops at a short range.
Western analysts have suggested that the deployment, which could give Russia and Belarus easier access to Ukraine and other European countries, is meant to warn western governments against providing further military assistance to Ukraine as the war drags on.
It’s not clear that Belarus has received the tactical nuclear weapons yet, according to the White House. The United States believes Russia has approximately 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons.
Belarus previously hosted nuclear weapons, but turned them over to Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
“First I asked the Russian president, then insisted in a friendly manner that they give me back these weapons,” Lukashenko said.
Lukashenko indicated Tuesday that he would have to make decisions moving forward about whether to use the nuclear weapons, in a sign that there may be a tug-of-war over which leader—Lukashenko or Putin—maintains control over the weapons. Putin has previously said that Russia will control them.
“God forbid I have to make a decision to use those weapons,” Lukashenko said.
The White House is monitoring the situation, according to White House National Security Council coordinator John Kirby. So far, there are no signs that the delivery of the weapons is imminent, Kirby said.
“We’ve seen no indication of anything that would force us to change our own posture with respect to nuclear readiness or capabilities,” Kirby told reporters in a briefing on Monday. “The constant rhetoric—in this case, out of Lukashenko—just is in keeping with reckless and irresponsible ways of talking about nuclear capabilities.”
Although no movement has happened yet, Lukashenko hinted that Belarus may have the tactical nuclear weapons within several days.
“Everything is ready. I think it will take a few more days, and we will have what we have asked for. And maybe even a little more,” he said.
Putin has previously said that construction on facilities to house the nuclear weapons will be done by July 7 or July 8.
“The preparation of the relevant facilities will be completed on 7-8 July, and we will immediately begin the activities related to the deployment of the appropriate types of weapons on your territory. Everything proceeds according to the plan,” Putin said in a recent meeting with Lukashenko, according to local news outlets.
Lukashenko and Putin both appear to have stretched the truth on preparations for the weapons in previous instances.
Lukashenko claimed in March that the infrastructure was all ready. He said just last month it was possible that the weapons have already been moved to Belarus. Putin himself has changed the goalposts for deployment, previously claiming that the facilities would be ready by July 1.
The Biden administration’s aid to Ukraine has not stopped. On, Tuesday Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced $325 million in new security aid for Ukraine, including munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) and ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS). The package also includes Stinger anti-aircraft systems, Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, Stryker Armored Personnel Carriers, and Javelin anti-armor systems.
“The United States continues to stand with the people of Ukraine, whose enduring courage and solidarity inspires the world,” Blinken said Tuesday. “Russia started this unprovoked war against Ukraine. Russia could end it at any time by withdrawing its forces from Ukraine and stopping its brutal attacks against Ukraine’s cities and people. Until Russia does so, the United States and our allies and partners will stand united with Ukraine, for as long as it takes.”
