Putin Ally Sounds Alarm on Nuclear Weapons: ‘Plunging Into Chaos’

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a key ally to Russian President Vladimir Putin, issued a warning about global nuclear deterrence efforts.

Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022, raised alarms about the use of nuclear weapons as Russia has the largest nuclear arsenal of any country. International organizations and anti-nuclear advocates have warned Russia against using these weapons, as it could lead to worldwide devastation.

Comments from Putin’s allies have fueled nuclear fears amid the war. Lukashenko criticized global efforts to prevent nuclear escalation in remarks first reported by Russian state-run news service Tass.

Most of Europe has backed Ukraine, with leaders pledging billions of dollars in aid to the country in hopes of weakening Putin’s military. Lukashenko, however, has supported Putin, defending the war and even allowing his forces to invade Ukraine from his country’s territory at the start of the conflict.

“No one has yet been able to find even a fragile balance [between opposing forces]. The system of counterbalancing forces based on inter-complementary treaties has been destroyed, particularly in the field of nuclear deterrence,” he said, according to Tass.

He warned that “the world is plunging into chaos with unpredictable consequences” due to the international community’s response to the Ukraine invasion.

Lukashenko specifically criticized the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OCPW), and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for falling “into complete decay.”

“They have turned into platforms for doublespeak and tools to serve and implement the interests of [only select] global players. It has reached the point of absurdity, where the European Peace Facility is actually funding the war in Ukraine,” he said.

Newsweek reached out to the OCPW, ICRC, European Union and Lukashenko’s press office for comment. An OSCE spokesperson declined to comment.

Many international organizations and world leaders have backed Ukraine amid the conflict, arguing the invasion was unprovoked and lacks justification—though Moscow has named a number of reasons for the invasion, including claims of wanting to “de-nazify” the Ukrainian government.

Lukashenko’s remarks come just weeks after Putin signed a law withdrawing from the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, a global treaty banning the test of nuclear weapons. Russian authorities have said they would not resume testing nuclear weapons unless the United States does so first, but experts viewed the exit as a signal Russia may be ready to start testing the weapons.

Putin has said Russia would only use nuclear weapons in two circumstances—in retaliation to a nuclear strike against Russia or another threat to the existence of the Russian state.