The Kremlin on Monday stated Western criticism wouldn’t change plans introduced by President Vladimir Putin to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in neighbouring Belarus.
The West condemned Putin’s weekend announcement on inserting the weapons in EU and NATO-bordering Belarus, triggering calls for brand new sanctions on Moscow.
Ukraine stated it was looking for an emergency assembly of the UN Security Council over the transfer.
“Such a reaction of course cannot influence Russian plans,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated.
Speaking throughout a televised interview on Saturday, Putin stated Moscow would station the tactical nuclear weapons “without violating our international agreements on nuclear non-proliferation”.
He stated this was “nothing unusual”.
“The United States has been doing this for decades. They have long placed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allies,” Putin stated.
The Russian chief stated he spoke to his Belarusian ally Alexander Lukashenko and that that they had “agreed to do the same”.
Putin’s announcement came to visit a 12 months into his grinding offensive in Ukraine.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel reiterated that the United States was not altering its personal nuclear posture and didn’t have motive to imagine Russia was making ready to make use of a nuclear weapon.
“But candidly, this announcement is one that we condemn. This is the latest example of irresponsible nuclear rhetoric that we have seen from Russia,” Patel instructed reporters.
“No other country has raised the prospect of potential nuclear use in connection with this conflict. Let’s remember — no country is threatening Russia or threatening President Putin,” Patel stated.
Source: www.anews.com.tr
