NATO Sees No Changes In Russia's Nuclear Posture To Adjust Own Policy - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th March, 2023) NATO has not seen any changes in Russia's nuclear posture that might lead the alliance to adjust its nuclear policy after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Reuters reported on Sunday, citing a NATO spokesperson.

On Saturday, Putin said that Moscow and Minsk had agreed to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus without violating international commitments, adding that the United States had long stationed its tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of its allies and NATO countries. The construction of the weapons storage facility in Belarus will be completed on July 1, Putin said.

"NATO is vigilant, and we are closely monitoring the situation. We have not seen any changes in Russia's nuclear posture that would lead us to adjust our own," the spokesperson was quoted by Reuters as saying.

The spokesperson called Russia's reference to NATO's nuclear sharing "totally misleading," the news agency reported.

In February, Moscow announced the suspension of its participation in the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), which was signed by Russia and the US in 2010 and envisaged mutual inspections of the strategic nuclear facilities of the two countries. Putin said in his annual address to the Russian parliament then that the US had demanded that Russia unconditionally fulfill its obligations under the treaty while itself being arbitrary about its own obligations. At the same time, the Russian leader stressed that Moscow suspended its participation and did not withdraw from the treaty.