Join Russia, get free nuclear weapons, Putin ally promises

Thinking of joining Russia? Well, Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus, and a Vladimir Putin crony, has an offer he thinks people can’t refuse. Join Russia, get nukes.

Lukashenko made the proposal during an interview with a Russian propagandist named Pavel Zarubin. The comments aired on Russian state media and came just a few days after Lukashenko confirmed the transfer of nuclear weapons to his country from Russia.

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Belarus borders Russia and Ukraine. Russia staged troops in the former Soviet republic to attack from the North in its initial assault on Ukraine. Russian troops continue to train and operate within Belarusian territory under the 1999 Union State agreement between the nations.

According to the Union State pact, Belarus and Russia agreed to cooperate on peaceful and democratic development, establishing a single economic and customs area, ensuring sustainable economic development, and pursing agreed foreign, defense and social policies.

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Most recently, all that cooperation with Russia means Lukashenko’s regime was given tactical nuclear weapons, Iskander missiles and launchers, and a brand-new Growler air defense system from Russia. All free of charge.

The defense ministers from each country signed agreements in Minsk outlining how the Russian nukes will be maintained in Belarusian territory.

In his comments on State TV, Lukashenko – the man dubbed “Europe’s last dictator” – said no one should be worried about the close ties between Russia and Belarus. On the contrary, Lukashenko said no one would mind if other nations had the same close ties with Russia like Belarus enjoys. He did mention Kazakhstan specifically in his statement, another former Soviet republic.

Kazakhstan president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev replied to Lukashenko's suggestions that Kazakhstan join the Russia-Belarus union state to get nuclear weapons "I appreciate the joke."

Kazakhstan is moving away from the orbit of Russia's influence. pic.twitter.com/0htgfxIPJd

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) May 29, 2023

The president of Kazakhstan, Kassym Tokayev, responded to Lukashenko’s offer by calling it a “joke.” Tokayev said there’s no need for the type of deal Belarus is pushing, because there are already integration associations like the Eurasian Economic Union.

Russia has made several threats to use nuclear weapons during the course of the war in Ukraine. Positioning tactical nukes in Belarus was seen on the world stage as essentially more saber rattling, but President Tokayev referring to the offer of nukes as a joke, that may be a first.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.