NATO Has Condemned Vladimir Putin's Plan to Station Tactical Nuclear Weapons in Belarus

NATO has condemned Vladimir Putin's plan to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, describing it as "dangerous and irresponsible."

The move is seen as one of Russia's most significant nuclear signals to date and a warning to NATO over its military support for Ukraine. Putin compared the move to the US stationing weapons in Europe, insisting that it would not violate Russia's nuclear non-proliferation commitments. However, NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said that Putin's non-proliferation pledge and comparison to US weapons deployment were "way off the mark" and that Russia's reference to NATO's nuclear sharing was "totally misleading."

Experts say that Russia's move is significant, as the country has been proud of not deploying nuclear weapons outside its borders until now. It may be the first time since the mid-1990s that Russia has done so.