Belarusian President Says a ‘Third World War’ Looms on the Horizon

Russia’s tactical nuclear arms in the Western borders of Belarus topped the main agenda of ongoing talks between Russia and Belarus this week.

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko arrived Wednesday in Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to further strengthen economic and military ties between the two countries. 

A day before Lukashenko’s arrival, Russia’s Defense Department announced that Belarus had been given nuclear power capabilities and military aircraft equipped with nuclear weapons. 

During the first few minutes of the presidents’ photo session in Moscow, international media was alert in catching Putin’s reported shrug after concerned whispers from Lukashenko, calling the Russian strongman a “tired president.” 

As a reply, Putin pushed aside the Belarusian leader’s nudges, referring to their “joint accomplishments.”

“We have done a lot as a result of our joint work in all areas. We will discuss all of this tomorrow. This applies to our cooperation in the international arena and jointly solving questions of ensuring the security of our states.”

For today’s (April 6) official talks, the two presidents will hold a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union States as reported to the Kremlin, including implementing provisions for creating a Union State between Russia and Belarus. 

Other bilateral issues on the agenda, apart from Belarus’ readiness at a nuclear weapons springboard, as Kremlin’s Defense Department announced,  include their “retaliatory measures” regarding Finland’s NATO membership.

The Belarusian media announced that the meeting between the two heads of state is set to include a wide range of issues concerning Belarusian-Russian relations.

Lukashenko Talks Nukes as ‘Third World War’ Looms on the Horizon

“A third world war with nuclear fires looms on the horizon,”

Lukashenko stated in his recent speech in Belarus. That’s the scariest thing I’ve heard all day. Lukashenko is not messing around. 

The Belarusian president said that if necessary, he and Russia could decide to deploy strategic nuclear weapons — more powerful systems capable of destroying entire cities on Belarusian soil.

In his speech, he said that Russian tactical nuclear weapons would provide security following what it described as a campaign of pressure from the US and its allies aimed at deposing him, dubbed as the “last European dictator” who has been in power for almost 30 years. He then suggested a Ukraine ceasefire, which Moscow later dismissed.

“It is impossible to defeat a nuclear power. If the Russian leadership understands that the situation threatens to cause Russia’s disintegration, it will use the most terrible weapon. This cannot be allowed. Take my word for it, (the collective West) are preparing to invade, to destroy our country. We must stop now, before an escalation begins. I’ll take the risk of suggesting an end of hostilities… a declaration of a truce.”

As Russia’s closest ally, Belarus blames Western pressure on compelling the country to host tactical nuclear arms from Kremlin. 

In his televised address, Lukashenko confirmed his positive stance in agreement with Moscow to have Russian nuclear arms in Belarusian territory.

“Putin and I will decide and introduce here, if necessary, strategic weapons, and they must understand this, the scoundrels abroad, who today are trying to blow us up from inside and outside. We will stop at nothing to protect our countries, our state, and their peoples. We will preserve our sovereignty by all means. Given the current military and political situation around our country, I have explicitly stepped up my talk ( with Russia) on the return of nuclear weapons to Belarus.”

Belarus Is Ready With  Aircraft Equipped With Nuclear Weapons

Before Lukashenko arrived in Moscow, Russia announced that it had handed over to Belarus’ Armed Forces its nuclear capabilities – with the Iskander mobile short-range ballistic missile system – capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads. 

Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, during a meeting with the Russian Armed Forces’ leadership, stated that Belarus’ attack aircraft had been equipped with nuclear weapons.  

“We defend the security of our allied state. Some of the Belarusian attack aircraft have acquired the ability to strike enemy targets with nuclear weapons,” he said.

According to Shoigu, Russia has also handed over to the Belarusian Armed Forces the operational-tactical missile complex “Iskander-M” mobile short-range ballistic missile systems, which fit both conventional and nuclear warheads.

He also said that training Belarusian personnel in using these systems to defend Belarusian territory began on April 3 at one of the Russian training grounds.

Earlier last week, Putin announced that he would deploy tactical nuclear weapons to his neighbor and ally Belarus, ostensibly in response to the United Kingdom’s suggestion that it could supply Kyiv with depleted uranium ammunition.

However, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby belittled the Russian threat, stating to the media last week that there was no evidence that Russia had or was about to move nuclear weapons.

“We have seen no indication that he [Putin] has followed through on this pledge or moved any nuclear weapons,” Kirby said.

NATO Slammed Kremlin on ‘No Nukes’ Broken Promise to China 

Russia’s announcement that it will station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus shows that a joint statement issued by Russia and China days earlier was “empty promises,” according to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. 

Stoltenberg told reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels that Putin’s announcement came just days after Russia and China declared that countries should not deploy nuclear weapons outside their borders. 

NATO’s top official slammed both countries’ agreement as falling on “empty promises” and said, “What we need to watch closely is what Russia does.” 

Belarus  Also Hit for Turning Back on Beijing’s ‘No Nukes’ Agreement

Last March, Lukashenko’s state visit to China was the prelude to strengthening political ties with the so-called “Red Dragon” and fellow Russian ally. According to Lukashenko, the four-hour negotiations with Chinese President Xi Jinping sealed Belarus’ support for China’s initiatives in international security. 

Although the meeting between the two heads of state was held “at a challenging time which requires new nonstandard approaches and responsible decisions,” the Belarusian leader pointed out that the meetings “should be aimed at preventing global confrontation which will have no winners.” 

Lukashenko stated that Belarus is proactively “proposing peace and fully supports (China’s) initiative on international security.” 

Amidst all these political rhetorics, former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul told the media that the recent Putin pronouncements on stationing nuclear weapons in Belarus indicate humiliation for Xi Jinping after earlier agreements to avoid deploying nuclear weapons beyond their national territories. 

Analysts observed that Russia and Belarus, overlooking earlier statements with China stating that both countries will not deploy nuclear armaments beyond their national borders, have made gross violations related to their recent agreements with Beijing. 

Lukashenko’s Belarusian Government as Moscow’s ‘Puppet Regime’

When Lukashenko staged a February 2022 referendum revoking the country’s non-nuclear status, his move was met with vehement reaction from the opposition, rejecting the vote as “meaningless” under politically repressive conditions.

Human Rights Watch reported the victory of Lukashenko against opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in a 2020 election riddled with violent political arrests, torture, and brutal beatings of political prisoners opposing his regime. His political win kept him in office amidst the general opinion that the elections were fraudulent and rigged in Lukashenko’s favor. 

The United Nations criticized Belarus for its “controversial and fraudulent presidential elections.” They Lukashenko’s 2020 election victory as “deeply flawed” with human rights violations and police brutality against journalists and peaceful protesters. 

Lukashenko rationalizes his loyal support for Russia,  which has helped him in the worst of times in his embattled regime.

“The Russian president and I made the most serious of statements on defense and security. Let’s be frank, are we able to defend our independence and sovereignty alone without Russia? We are not. And in difficult times, Putin did not refuse to help us.”

The Belarusan strongman continued,

“People will start howling today: ‘Putin came here to scare someone.’ You’ll see after our statements. He did us a favor as a person who is close and dear to Belarus. Therefore, to say that someone is absorbing someone else begs the question: Why? Russia has always met us halfway. Today there is not a single issue that has not been resolved. We meet the Russian Federation halfway in the most difficult moment. You’ve heard this, the two of us are co-aggressors, the most harmful and toxic people on this planet. We have only one dispute. Who is worse?”