EU condemns supply transfer of Russian nuclear weapons to Belarus: it contradicts Budapest Memorandum

Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has condemned the agreement between Russia and Belarus on supplying Russian nuclear warheads to Belarusian territory.

Source: Borrell’s statement posted by the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on Friday

"This is a step which will lead to further extremely dangerous escalation," Borrel said.

The High Representative of the European Union emphasised that the decision goes against commitments which Russia has undertaken in the Budapest Memorandum, whereby Belarus eliminated all nuclear weapons from its territory, and in the Joint Statement of the Leaders of the Five Nuclear-Weapon States of 3 January 2022  that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. 

"We call on Russia to abide by these commitments," Borrel said.

He added that the Belarusian regime is an accomplice in Russia’s illegal and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine.

"We call on Belarusian authorities to put an immediate end to their support of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, and reverse decisions that can only contribute to heightening tensions in the region, and undermine Belarus’ sovereignty. 

Any attempt to further escalate the situation will be met by a strong and coordinated reaction," High Representative of the European Union said. 

Background: 

• On Thursday, the defence ministers of Russia and Belarus signed documents on the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian territory. According to the self-proclaimed Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, the nuclear weapons of the Russian Federation have already begun to be transferred to Belarus.
• The White House said that the agreements between the Russian Federation and Belarus had not changed the United States' assessment of the nuclear threat level from the Russian Federation.

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