Belarus has stated that by agreeing to deploy Russian tactical nuclear weapons on its territory, it allegedly took "forced retaliatory actions" to strengthen its security and defence capabilities and was not violating the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Putin says the move does not violate any nonproliferation agreements and that he’s not doing anything the U.S. hasn’t done for decades in stationing its weapons in Europe.

Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov noted that the statements of the US State Department in the framework of Russian-Belarusian cooperation

Background: Russian President Vladimir Putin said on 27 March that Belarus would deploy tactical nuclear weapons by July, and compared his nuclear plans to the US deployment of its weapons in Europe. He insisted that Russia would not break its nuclear non ...

The Belarusian government has justified the need to strengthen its defensive capabilities in view of ''legitimate security concerns'' and has dismissed as ''exaggerated'' international reactions to the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons,

Putin made the announcement at a time of growing tensions with the West over the Ukraine war and as some Russian commentators speculate about possible nuclear strikes. It is the first time in decades that Moscow is basing such arms outside the country.