NATO has condemned Russia’s “dangerous” and “irresponsible” rhetoric after Vladimir Putin’s decision to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.
The organisation is “closely monitoring” the situation and said the move would not lead it to change its own nuclear strategy.
President Putin said Moscow would not be transferring control of its arms to Minsk and that Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko – a firm ally of the Kremlin and supporter of its invasion of Ukraine – had long raised the issue with him.
While the US said it did not believe Russia was preparing to use nuclear weapons, Ukraine says the move violates nuclear non-proliferation agreements – an accusation President Putin has denied, instead comparing it to the US stationing its weapons in Europe.