Ukraine calls for UN Security Council meeting over nuclear weapons
Ukraine has called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting over Russia’s transfer of tactical nuclear weapons to neighboring Belarus. The government in Kiev expects effective action by Great Britain, China, the USA and France against the “nuclear blackmail of the Kremlin”, also in their function as permanent members of the Security Council, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday.
The day before, Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced that tactical nuclear weapons would be stationed in Belarus. He argued that Russia was not violating its international non-proliferation obligations. After all, the USA has long been stationing its nuclear weapons on the territory of its NATO allies. “We are doing what they have been doing for decades,” said the Russian president.
After the announcement, the US government stated that it did not see any need for action at the moment, but was monitoring the situation closely.