President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko of Belarus arrived on the Kremlin on Wednesday, forward of a deliberate assembly the next day together with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir V. Putin, on the increasing navy and financial ties between the 2 international locations.
Their shut alliance has allowed Russia to bolster Belarus’s readiness to deploy nuclear weaponry. On Tuesday, the Russian minister of protection, Sergei Shoigu, mentioned that Russia had delivered to Belarus an Iskander-M missile system, which is able to carrying each standard and nuclear warheads.
As well as, Mr. Shoigu mentioned, talking on a convention name with leaders of the Russian armed forces, half of the assault plane within the Belarus armed forces now have the means to ship nuclear weapons, he mentioned.
Mr. Putin introduced final month that he deliberate to station nuclear warheads within the neighboring state, and Mr. Lukashenko mentioned he would permit it if the necessity arose.
Belarus has served as a staging floor for Russian forces attacking Ukraine, though Mr. Lukashenko has sought to keep away from getting enmeshed within the battle, which is unpopular at dwelling. The Kremlin, which provides Minsk with closely backed fuel and different help, seeks ever nearer ties.
Russia, Belarus and Ukraine had been lengthy thought-about the backbone of each the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, which is one purpose that Mr. Putin is believed to be making an attempt to pressure Ukraine again into Moscow’s orbit.
On arriving on the Kremlin on Wednesday, Mr. Lukashenko mentioned, “Missiles are flying and navy autos are on the transfer each in Russia and in Belarus, so we’ll overcome the whole lot; it would take some time,” in keeping with a Kremlin transcript of their opening remarks.
