Statement of the Coordinating Council of Belarus in relation to the agreement on the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus

With Russia’s ongoing armed aggression against Ukraine, on March 23, 2023, President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin announced that his country intends to deploy its nuclear weapons on the territory of the Republic of Belarus. The Coordinating Council considers such step to be a significant escalation of the conflict, which will have serious consequences for the security of citizens of the Republic of Belarus and citizens of neighboring states and will violate the international obligations and sovereignty of the Republic of Belarus, as well as the international obligations of Russian Federation.

We believe that the agreement between the leadership of Russian Federation and the illegitimate government of A. Lukashenko on the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus is a violation of the sovereignty of the Republic of Belarus. In the Declaration “On the State Sovereignty of the Republic of Belarus” of 1990, the legitimate representatives of Belarusian people clearly expressed the decision of Belarusians to make our country a nuclear-free neutral state. The illegitimate government of A. Lukashenko, which lost the elections, has no right to change this decision, which is also well known to the leadership of Russian Federation.

In 1993, Republic of Belarus joined the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of 1968 and voluntarily renounced the deployment of nuclear weapons on its territory in full accordance with the expressed nation’s desire for nuclear-free status. The object and purpose of this treaty is to minimize any nuclear risks, including the risks of war with the use of nuclear weapons. Based on the context of today’s war of Russia against Ukraine, as well as the fact that tactical nuclear weapons are planned to be deployed by the aggressor state on the territory of a state that voluntarily renounced nuclear weapons, we believe that such actions of Russian Federation and the illegitimate government of A. Lukashenko violate the obligations of the Republic of Belarus under the mentioned Treaty.

The Belarusian people, represented by their delegates to the Coordinating Council, strongly condemn and oppose the use of the territory of our country by Russian Federation for armed aggression against Ukraine, as well as the creation of constant threats from our territory to the international community.

The deployment of nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus turns the country into a primary target for a nuclear strike in the event of a conflict between nuclear states. The civilians of the Republic of Belarus will inevitably become victims of such a strike. Belarusians have already had a the tragic history with nuclear disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986, which affected a significant part of our country and entailed long-term consequences for human health and nature. In the case of a nuclear conflict, unlike industrial accidents, the Belarusian people will have no opportunity to count on the help of the international community in overcoming the terrible consequences of a nuclear strike. Additionally, even the deployment and storage of nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus can contribute to man-made disasters and the corresponding environmental pollution. The lack of transparency and accountability of the illegitimate government of A. Lukashenko in relation to nuclear energy and its safety only increases these risks.

We believe that the illegitimate government of A. Lukashenko should put the security and well-being of the people of the Republic of Belarus above its interests of political survival and immediately stop the deployment of nuclear weapons in our country. The Coordinating Council strongly condemns the thoughtless and irresponsible decision of the illegitimate government of A. Lukashenko and of the leadership of the Russian Federation and calls on the international community to take immediate and decisive measures to prevent the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus.

We believe that the threats of the use and of the proliferation of nuclear weapons must be unequivocally condemned, and that all countries must work towards nuclear disarmament to decrease risks of nuclear war. The safety and well-being of people and the environment must never be sacrificed for political gain or military power.

In connection with the above, we, the Coordinating Council, as representatives of the Belarusian people:

– Emphasize the need to continue efforts to reduce the risk of using nuclear weapons as a political tool;

– Demand that Russian Federation immediately withdraw Russian troops from the territory of the Republic of Belarus, stop the illegal use of the airspace of the Republic of Belarus, stop financing and other support for the illegitimate government of A. Lukashenko, which is carried out against the will of the Belarusian people;

– Call on Belarusian officers to observe the oath and not allow any threats to the security of Belarusian people;

– Call on all Belarusians on the territory of Belarus to join us in opposing the deployment of nuclear weapons in our country;

– Call on all Belarusians abroad to also use their influence to counter this threat;

– Call on the IAEA, as the main supervisory body for the implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, to assess the intentions of Russian Federation and the illegitimate government of A. Lukashenko in respect of the fulfillment by the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation of their obligations in relation to the subject and purpose of the Treaty;

– Demand that the leadership of Russian Federation and the illegitimate government of A. Lukashenko be held accountable for the armed aggression against Ukraine, violations of international law and human rights.