Lukashenko-West Planning To Invade Belarus; Return Of Nukes A Safeguard

Delivering his annual address to the Belarusian Parliament, President Alexander Lukashenko issues inflammatory comments regarding the war in Ukraine and the alleged aims of Western nations. Claims that the West is planning to invade Belarus with the intention of destroying it, and that the placing of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus 'is not blackmail, but a chance to safeguard Belarus.'

• Lukashenko calls for an immediate ceasefire and peace talks in Ukraine, but with no opportunity to regroup troops, which he says could be used in a western-led coup against his gov't.
• Lukasehnko: "The carnage in Ukraine will not end until the US gives the go-ahead."
• Lukashenko: "If the leadership of Russia realises that there will be a collapse of Russia, its most awful [nuclear] weapons will be used."
• Given Belarus' position as essentially a client state of Russia, there has been sustained suspicion that it could eventually formally join the invasion of Ukraine on behalf of Russia. Belarusian territory was used as a launching ground for the initial (failed) Russian advance on Kyiv in the early days of the war.
• The statements earlier in the week regarding the placement of Russian tactical nukes in Belarus gained notable attention, given that it would bring devastating weaponry even closer to the Ukrainian capital and indeed NATO borders. This is unlikely to be seen in the short-term though, given that Belarus is not believed to have the modern facilities required to house such weaponry.