France Criticizes Deployment of Russian Nuclear Weapons in Belarus

Paris, March 26 – In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, France criticized the agreement between Russia and Belarus regarding the deployment of nuclear weapons there, and called for its cancellation, while Paris does not criticize the United States for deploying similar American weapons in neighboring countries.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow and Minsk had agreed that, without violating international obligations, they would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Putin made it clear that Russia is not transferring its nuclear weapons to Belarus, but is doing what the United States has been doing for a decade. According to him, the construction of a storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus will be completed on July 1.

The French Foreign Ministry said that “France condemns the statement of the President of the Russian Federation regarding the agreement concluded between Russia and Belarus regarding the deployment of nuclear weapons there.” The document also calls on Russia to reverse its decision.

In mid-February of this year, the President of the Russian Federation announced in a message to the Federal Assembly that Moscow would suspend its participation in the START treaty, stating that not only the United States, with whom this treaty was signed, but also NATO countries. Like France, Great Britain has nuclear arsenals.

He noted that before returning to the discussion, “we must understand for ourselves what countries like France and Great Britain still demand, and how we will take into account their strategic arsenals, that is, the potential for a joint strike (for the North Atlantic – ed.) Alliance.”

And earlier, President Emmanuel Macron, in a speech on the new military strategy of the republic, noted that France also has nuclear deterrent forces. At the same time, he did not criticize the United States for placing American tactical nuclear weapons at bases in France’s neighboring countries – Belgium, Germany and Italy.