The United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus declares the deployment of nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus unacceptable and calls on the international community to immediately oppose the Lukashenko and Putin regimes in order to prevent an international catastrophe.
Read the full text of the statement of the Cabinet of Ministers "on countering the threat of the possible deployment of Russian nuclear weapons in the territory of Belarus" here:
With regard to the statement made by the President of the Russian Federation, V. Putin about the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.
Recalling the illegality of Alexander Lukashenko's hold on power after his loss in the 2020 presidential elections.
Taking into account the ongoing aggression of the Russian Federation and the Lukashenko regime against Ukraine.
Reaffirming the desire of the Belarusian people for a nuclear-weapon-free status for Belarus, as expressed in the Declaration on State Sovereignty of 27 July 1990, the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus of 15 March 1994 and the Memorandum on Security Assurances of 5 December 1994 (Budapest Memorandum) in connection with Belarus' accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of 1 July 1968 (NPT).
In view of the obligations of the Republic of Belarus under the NPT, including those referred to in the Budapest Memorandum, to withdraw all nuclear weapons from its territory, and the obligations of the United Kingdom, the Russian Federation and the United States under the Budapest Memorandum arising therefrom.
Considering the catastrophic risks to international peace and security posed by the existence of nuclear weapons.
Based on the desire of the world community for a total ban on nuclear weapons, as expressed in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons of 20 September 2017.
Reaffirming the Republic of Belarus' previous international commitments to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Recalling the catastrophic consequences for Belarus of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986.
Reiterating the previously stated demand of the United Transitional Cabinet to the Russian Federation for the immediate and complete withdrawal of all its troops and military facilities from the territory of Belarus.
The United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus:
Declares the inadmissibility of the deployment of nuclear weapons on the territory of the Republic of Belarus.
Declares that the deployment of nuclear weapons by the Russian Federation in Belarus would be a blatant act of violation of the sovereignty of the Republic of Belarus, which poses a serious threat to the independence of the Republic of Belarus and undermines international peace and security.
Demands that the Russian Federation abandon its plans to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus and withdraw all troops and military facilities from the territory of Belarus.
Calls on the international community, including the European Union, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, other States and international organizations whose mandate includes the maintenance of international peace and security, monitoring the implementation of nuclear non-proliferation obligations, to take urgent preventive measures against the placement of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus against the will of the Belarusian people, including urgent and extensive sanctions measures against the Putin and Lukashenko regimes
Calls on the United Nations Secretary-General to take measures to legally assess the deployment of nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus and the use of the territory of Belarus by the Russian Federation to wage war against Ukraine as part of its illegitimate hold on power by the Lukashenko regime.
Calls upon the International Atomic Energy Agency to take necessary steps to verify compliance of the Republic of Belarus with its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of 1 July 1968.
In view of the fact that the deployment of nuclear weapons of the Russian Federation on the territory of Belarus poses a threat first of all to the countries neighbouring Belarus, addresses the Governments of the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Latvia, Ukraine and the Republic of Estonia with a proposal to develop together a common position and action plan to prevent the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus.