The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, has warned this Sunday that the European Union (EU) is willing to adopt new sanctions against Belarus if this country accepts Russian nuclear weapons on its territory.
“The receipt of Russian nuclear weapons by Belarus would constitute an irresponsible escalation and a threat to European security. Belarus can still prevent it. The EU is prepared to respond with more sanctions”, assured Josep Borrell in a message on the social network Twitter.
On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus and that 10 aircraft had already been equipped to be ready to use such weapons.
At the end of February, the EU announced the extension of its sanctions against Belarus for one year, due to the repression of the regime of President Alexander Lukashenko and its support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Under these sanctions, Lukashenko and 194 other regime figures were banned from entering the EU and their assets were frozen.
In addition, 34 Belarusian entities have been sanctioned and all European financing is prohibited.
Belarus is also subject to specific economic sanctions, including restrictions on the financial sector, trade, dual-use goods, telecommunications, energy, and transportation.
On Sunday, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs agreed to new sanctions as a way to curb Putin’s nuclear rhetoric.
Source: TSF
