Even nuclear weapons are now one for two − Kazakhstan's President Tokayev says Putin and Lukashenko have created a problem
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has said that in creating the so-called Union State with a single political, military and economic space as well as one nuclear arsenal for the two of them, Russia and Belarus are posing a problem for the other states in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
Source: Russian propaganda publication RIA Novosti, referring to Tokayev's statement at the plenary session of the second Eurasian Economic Forum on 24 May; Vy slushali maiak (You have been listening to Radio Mayak) Telegram channel
Quote from Tokayev: "We have a union state in the EAEU. In other words, a unique precedent or phenomenon has been created in world political history... the creation of a state based on the formula ‘two countries − one state’ with a single political, legal, military, economic, currency, cultural and humanitarian space, with a single union government, with a single union parliament... And even nuclear weapons are now one for two.
Then there is another level of integration represented by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia. And we need to take this reality into account. How we are going to work in these circumstances is a conceptual question. I think we need to discuss this problem at this economic forum as well."
"Я перепрошую, але і ядерна зброя одна на двох у вас зараз" − президент Казахстану заявив, що Росія і Білорусь створили проблему для інших країн Євразійського економічного союзу. Відео з Telegram-каналу "Вы слушали маяк" pic.twitter.com/gLuOogniax
— Українська правда ✌ (@ukrpravda_news) May 24, 2023
Details: At the words about nuclear weapons, Alexander Lukashenko, the self-proclaimed President of Belarus, and Russian President Vladimir Putin began to smile and exchange glances.
Then Putin said something to Lukashenko, who smiled, and the two politicians shook hands.
Background:
- In his address to the nation on 31 March, Alexander Lukashenko spoke about the possibility of deploying Russian strategic nuclear weapons on Belarusian territory.
- In early April, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu claimed that Belarus already has assault aircraft and Iskander-M missile systems capable of delivering nuclear strikes at its disposal.
- In mid-April, Belarusian Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin said that Belarus is already preparing sites for Russian strategic nuclear weapons.
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