Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated, according to the Novosti agency, that he "does not believe there will be a necessity to use the Russian nuclear weapons stationed on the territory of the Republic of Belarus." He said, "Nuclear weapons mean security. God forbid there should arise a need to use this weapon. I still hope that will not happen." He added, "The nuclear weapons deployed in Belarus are primarily a deterrent against aggressive manifestations towards the republic," emphasizing that "Minsk does not brandish weapons or showcase them, but is prepared to defend its country at any moment."
Lukashenko also resumed ridiculing the presence of the Russian private military group "Wagner" near the NATO member Poland, stating that Warsaw should thank him for stopping and controlling them. During a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month, he jokingly mentioned that some fighters wanted to advance into Poland and "take a trip to Warsaw and Rzeszów."
According to the Belta news agency, Lukashenko said on Tuesday that the Poles "should thank God that we are hosting (Wagner fighters) and taking care of them. Otherwise, without us, they would have poured into Rzeszów and Warsaw and significantly destroyed them. Therefore, they should not insult me, but rather say thank you." Rzeszów is a city in southwestern Poland near the border with Ukraine.
