Belarus Says Will Host Russian Nuclear Arms Due to Western ‘Pressure'

Belarusian army Su-25 jet fighters fly during a parade marking Independence Day in Minsk, Belarus, Wednesday, July 3, 2019 - File/AP
Belarusian army Su-25 jet fighters fly during a parade marking Independence Day in Minsk, Belarus, Wednesday, July 3, 2019 - File/AP
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Belarus Says Will Host Russian Nuclear Arms Due to Western ‘Pressure'

Belarusian army Su-25 jet fighters fly during a parade marking Independence Day in Minsk, Belarus, Wednesday, July 3, 2019 - File/AP
Belarusian army Su-25 jet fighters fly during a parade marking Independence Day in Minsk, Belarus, Wednesday, July 3, 2019 - File/AP

Belarus said on Tuesday it had decided to host Russian tactical nuclear weapons after years of pressure from the United States and its allies aimed at changing its political and geopolitical direction.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Moscow would in future look to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in neighbouring Belarus, a staunch ally, escalating a standoff with the West.

The Belarusian foreign ministry justified its decision to cooperate with Russia in a statement on Tuesday, saying Minsk was acting to protect itself from the West, Reuters reported.

"Over the last two and a half years, the Republic of Belarus has been subjected to unprecedented political, economic and information pressure from the United States, the United Kingdom and its NATO allies, as well as the member states of the European Union," the statement said.

"In view of these circumstances, and the legitimate concerns and risks in the sphere of national security arising from them, Belarus is forced to respond by strengthening its own security and defence capabilities."

Minsk said the Russian nuclear plans would not contravene international non-proliferation agreements as Belarus itself would not have control over the weapons.



US Lawmakers’ Bipartisan Taiwan Visit Signals Support Despite Harsh Words and Tariffs from Trump

 US Senator Pete Ricketts, right, and Chris Coons are interviewed by the Associated Press in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
US Senator Pete Ricketts, right, and Chris Coons are interviewed by the Associated Press in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
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US Lawmakers’ Bipartisan Taiwan Visit Signals Support Despite Harsh Words and Tariffs from Trump

 US Senator Pete Ricketts, right, and Chris Coons are interviewed by the Associated Press in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
US Senator Pete Ricketts, right, and Chris Coons are interviewed by the Associated Press in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)

Republican and Democratic lawmakers made their first trip to Taiwan under the new Trump administration a bipartisan one, aiming to show both Taiwan and China that US support for Taiwan's defense remains broad, despite the harsh words and harsh tariffs President Donald Trump has had for the Taiwanese.

Taiwan's leaders so far in this week's trip by two Republican and one Democratic senator are messaging back just as hard, assuring the Republican US administration that they have taken in Trump's complaints and are acting on them.

Many Asia-Pacific nations are eschewing the retaliatory criticism and tariffs of some of the US's European allies after Trump earlier this month slapped broad tariffs on many countries around the world, including a 32% one for Taiwan.

Despite that hit, conversations in Taiwan this week were “optimistic and forward-looking,” Democratic Sen. Chris Coons said in Taipei. “And I'm optimistic that we're going to see a strong next chapter in US-Taiwan relations.”

That includes assurances from the Taiwanese that they are working fast to strike new trade and investment deals that suit the Trump administration, on top of the advanced-semiconductor giant's $100 billion investment this year alone in chip production in the US.

Taking all the lessons from Ukraine in its defense against Russia and criticism from Trump, Taiwan also says it is investing fast to make their military stronger, nimbler and less dependent on the US, as the island's strongest deterrent against China, the US lawmakers said. That includes seeking investment with Americans on drone warfare.

Sens. Pete Ricketts and Coons, the ranking Republican and Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's East Asia subcommittee, spoke ahead of scheduled talks Friday with President Lai Ching-te, Defense Minister Wellington Koo and national security adviser Joseph Wu. Republican Sen. Ted Budd also is on the trip.

The mission comes at a time that an economy-shaking trade war between the US and China has some warning that China could strike out at Taiwan, a self-governed island with a vibrant democracy and the world's top production of the most advanced semiconductors. China claims Taiwan as its territory, to be retaken by force if necessary.

Trump has repeatedly accused Taiwan of “stealing” the United States’ computer chip industry. His criticism of Taiwan, and his insistence last year that “Taiwan should pay us” for its defense, have heightened concern that the US, Taiwan’s strongest military partner, might decide not to get too involved if China were ever to attack Taiwan.

The 32% tariffs on Taiwan included in Trump’s sweeping new tariffs on trade partners this month surprised many Taiwanese, who thought that their government had shown itself a true ally to Washington.

“Look past the rhetoric and look at the action,” Ricketts said, repeating a watchword of the Republicans on Trump’s statements.

After saying he was in no rush to finish trade deals, the president said he thought he could wrap up talks “over the next three or four weeks.”

Ricketts cited the priority that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has placed on helping the Asia-Pacific secure itself against China. That included making the region one of the first he visited in office, Ricketts said.

Ricketts said Taiwan's leaders already had reached out to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick for negotiations, moving quickly in the 90-day pause that Trump announced before the United States starts enforcing the new tariffs on most countries.

Lai, Taiwan's president, has pledged to increase Taiwan's military spending to 3% of its gross domestic product, up from about 2.5%, bringing it up to nearly a fifth of its overall budget. Taiwan also is talking to Americans about partnerships in producing drones, part of taking a lesson from Ukraine in its defense against Russia in emphasizing fleet fighting forces working with portable Stingers, lawmakers said.

Taiwan's own defense industry is also producing advanced weapons from submarines to small arms and anti-air missiles.

“Of course, there is the possibility that Xi Jinping would decide that this is the right time for the Chinese Communist Party to take aggressive action,” Coons said of the Chinese president.

“I think it’s exactly the wrong thing for them to do,” Coons said. “I think they would find a forceful and united response.”