Biden concerned over Russia's plans to deploy nukes in Belarus
U.S. President Joe Biden told reporters on March 28 that he's concerned about Moscow's threats to place its nuclear weapons in Belarus, according to CNN.
"They haven't done that yet, unless something happened while I was on the helicopter," Biden said. "Sure, I'm concerned about that."
"What've I been talking to you guys about for the last year? This is dangerous kind of talk, and it's worrisome," the U.S. president added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened on March 25 that his country intends to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus for training, the latest in Moscow's series of nuclear threats against Ukraine and the West.
Putin said the "special storage facility" for tactical nuclear weapons would be ready by July 1.
According to Ukrainian military intelligence spokesperson Andriy Yusov, the Kremlin's statement is merely an attempt by dictator Vladimir Putin to "raise the stakes" as Russia suffers throwbacks on the battlefield.
On March 27, Peter Stano, the spokesperson for the European Commission on foreign policy issues, said that the European Union would react if Russia deployed its nukes to Belarus. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also reacted to Russia's announcement, calling it an "irresponsible escalation and threat to European security."
China's Foreign Ministry said that the issue had to be settled "diplomatically" and urged for "reducing strategic risks," once again calling Russia's war a "Ukrainian crisis."
Meanwhile, Belarus claimed it had agreed to the deployment of Russian nuclear weapons on its territory to strengthen its own security and defense capabilities, calling it "forced actions."
Belarus' Foreign Ministry said on March 28 it didn't consider Russia's plans a violation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
Steven Pifer
