In response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement of plans to station tactical nuclear in weapons in Belarus, Ukraine has called for an extraordinary meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
The Ukrainian foreign ministry said in a statement that Putin’s move was “provocative” and undermined international security.
Russia can halt any action at the Security Council as one of the five veto-holding permanent members. Ukraine said it expects “effective measures” from the other four permanent members — Britain, China, France and the United States — saying those countries “bear primary responsibility for preventing threats of aggression with the use of nuclear weapons.”
Putin announced the deployment of the tactical nuclear weapons Saturday, saying it was warranted because of the West’s increasing military support for Ukrainian forces, including Britain’s decision last week to send armor-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium to Ukraine.
NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu called Russian comparisons to nuclear deployment by NATO members misleading and said “Russia’s nuclear rhetoric is dangerous and irresponsible.
