Camilla Jessen
Putin moves to ratify a Russia-Belarus defense pact, strengthening military ties and allowing potential nuclear responses.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a defense treaty with Belarus to the State Duma for ratification, according to RBC Ukraine.
Signed in Minsk in December 2024, the treaty includes provisions for the potential use of nuclear weapons. It states that any armed attack on either Russia or Belarus will be considered an act of aggression against both, effectively binding the two nations in a joint defense agreement under the Union State framework.
The document also allows for the use of nuclear weapons if conventional attacks threaten the sovereignty of either country. Additionally, it permits the establishment of military facilities and the deployment of Russian forces in Belarus to counter potential threats.
Meanwhile, on February 5, the head of Belarus’s Central Election Commission, Igor Karpenko, suggested replacing direct presidential elections with a more centralized system — similar to China’s — during an interview on state television.
