One step away from nuclear apocalypse, deal is signed that alarms the West, Putin deploys nuclear weapons in Belarus, Europe prepares for the worst

When Vladimir Putin announced in March that they would deploy nuclear weapons in the neighboring country, Belarus, Europe and the whole world were alarmed, and not without reason. Now, the Russian president's plan has become concrete, as Moscow and Minsk have signed the agreement to formalize the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear missiles on Belarusian territory, moving even closer to the so-called "nuclear apocalypse". "In the context of an escalation of threats on the western borders of Russia and Belarus, a decision was made to take countermeasures in the military-nuclear sphere," Russian state news agency TASS quoted Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu as saying alongside his Belarusian counterpart Viktor Khrenin. .

EU reaction

Since invading Ukraine last year, Putin has repeatedly said Russia would be willing to use nuclear weapons if necessary to protect its "territorial integrity." NATO said in March, when the announcement was made, that it saw no need to change its stance, although the military alliance called Vladimir Putin's rhetoric "dangerous and irresponsible". Even after the deal was signed, the EU has condemned Belarus plans to host Russian nuclear weapons. "This is not a step towards reducing tension, this is not a step towards increasing tension," Peter Stano, spokesman for the EU's foreign policy branch, told reporters. Stano stressed that this shows the cooperation of Belarus with the Russian occupation of Ukraine. "The European Union will of course follow closely how this will be implemented and we will react accordingly," he said. Similar statements were made last March by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell after Russia and Belarus revealed the plans, threatening further EU sanctions.

Nuclear war

However, it is not known whether the decision could increase the risk of nuclear war by deploying missiles in Belarus. John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, has said there is "no indication that Putin has any intention of using nuclear weapons inside Ukraine." However, as he has shown many other times, you can expect anything from the Russian president. A nuclear attack on Ukraine would be a "dangerous gamble" for Russia and would probably not help its military, according to some experts. In particular, he says, this could lead to negative consequences for Russia, including a conventional military response from NATO and the loss of China's support. Richard Weitz, a Washington-based foreign policy and defense analyst, told Al Jazeera that Russia is unlikely to benefit "in a purely military sense". "Russia already has thousands of nuclear weapons, and some of them are already placed on the ground or in aircraft, close to where the Belarusian facilities are likely to be located. "It's a political signal... The Russian government will make statements warning of the danger of nuclear war if NATO gives Patriots to Ukraine, or F-16s," he said. "It's a way to remind the West that Russia is a major nuclear power and that the West would do well to be careful." "It's a political signal... The Russian government will make statements warning of the danger of nuclear war if NATO gives Patriots to Ukraine, or F-16s," he said. "It's a way to remind the West that Russia is a major nuclear power and that the West would do well to be careful." "It's a political signal... The Russian government will make statements warning of the danger of nuclear war if NATO gives Patriots to Ukraine, or F-16s," he said. "It's a way to remind the West that Russia is a major nuclear power and that the West would do well to be careful."

Belarus as a hostage

It may be too soon to determine whether the decision will have an impact on Ukraine's allies. However, it could be defining in its relations with Belarus. In March, Oleksiy Danilov, head of Ukraine's national security and defense council, called the deal "a step towards internal destabilization" of Belarus and said it maximized what he called the level of "negative perception and public rejection" of Russia and Putin in Belarusian society. "The Kremlin took Belarus as a nuclear hostage," he tweeted. Putin is often credited with helping President Alexander Lukashenko maintain his regime in Belarus despite growing public opposition. However, the decision increases the risk of destabilization in Belarus, according to experts.