President Putin has announced that Russia may deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, as requested by President Lukashenko, to counter the US’s deployment of such weapons in some of its allies. However, he clarified that Russia would not transfer any weapons to Belarus but may keep part of its arsenal there and is currently working on the infrastructure for that purpose. It is unclear when and under which conditions such a move will take place. US officials have stated that this announcement will not change their strategic nuclear posture, and the EU is considering imposing sanctions on Belarus in response. NATO has called Russia’s rhetoric “dangerous and irresponsible”.