Published: Less than 50 min ago
During the summit in Moscow, the dictator of Belarus promised nuclear weapons to the countries that join the Russian-Belarusian alliance.
Now the President of Kazakhstan is responding to the invitation.
– Not needed, says Kazakh President Qasym-Zjomart Toqajev.
Belarusian dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko promised nuclear weapons to all countries joining the Russian-Belarusian alliance on Thursday.
“The alliance between Belarus and Russia should be joined. There will be nuclear weapons for everyone,” Lukashenko said.
The statement comes from a televised interview during the Eurasian Economic Forum – a summit between leaders from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia. During the meeting, an agreement was signed between the Russian and Belarusian defense ministers to move Russian nuclear weapons to Belarus.
“Not needed”
Now one of the member countries is responding to the offer to join the alliance.
“I appreciated the joke. But there is no need,” Kazakh President Qasym-Zjomart Toqayev said on a visit to northern Kazakhstan, according to independent Russian news site Meduza.
According to Toqayev, Kazakhstan does not need nuclear weapons because the country has signed the international agreement the non-proliferation treaty from 1968.
International law obliges the country not to spread nuclear weapons. According to the agreement, only five nations are allowed to have nuclear weapons: China, Russia, France, Great Britain and the United States.
“Irresponsible behavior”
The agreement to have Russian tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian soil has provoked reactions from the United States.
“The plans are the latest example of irresponsible behavior from the Russian side since the invasion,” said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, according to Reuters.
Russian-Belarusian alliance has been around since 1999.