Russian President Vladimir Putin has submitted a security treaty with Belarus to the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) for ratification on February 5, 2025, TASS reported.
The treaty asserts that Russia's nuclear weapons are "an important element in preventing military conflicts, from nuclear conflict to war with conventional weapons." The use of nuclear weapons, according to the document, is an "extreme and compulsory measure" that will only be used when Russia or Belarus face a serious threat.
According to the treaty, Russia can use nuclear weapons in two cases. One is if Russia or Belarus is attacked with nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction. Two is if either country is invaded with conventional weapons, posing a serious threat to its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The treaty also emphasizes that any armed attack on a member state of the Russia-Belarus Union State will be considered an act of aggression against the entire union. This means that if Belarus is attacked, Russia will have the right to respond with all military means, including nuclear weapons.
In addition, if either country is invaded, the other will immediately provide military, technical and other forms of assistance after a formal request and consultation between the presidents.
A key provision of the treaty concerns the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, where Russia has placed ballistic missiles as part of the Union State partnership and Belarus could request their use if necessary.
Shortly after the treaty was signed on December 6, 2024, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko requested the deployment of Russia's Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic missiles on Belarusian territory. According to President Putin, these missile systems could be deployed in Belarus by the end of 2025.
The Oreshnik hypersonic missiles were unveiled late last year and were tested in combat in Ukraine, hitting the Yuzhmash military-industrial complex in the city of Dnieper in November 2024.
Last month, President Lukashenko suggested the deployment of new missiles could come even sooner, but did not specify a timeline.
“We will have Oreshnik literally any day. We have agreed with President Vladimir Putin that the next system will be delivered to Belarus even earlier than to Russia,” Lukashenko said.
The moves come amid escalating tensions between Russia and the West, especially after Russia deployed tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus in 2023. The new move could be seen as a strong warning signal to NATO, as the military alliance is increasing its presence near the Belarusian border and supporting Ukraine against Russia.
With this treaty, Moscow not only strengthened military ties with Minsk, but also set a new red line on the geopolitical map: any aggressive actions against Belarus would entail the risk of direct confrontation with Russia - and even a nuclear scenario.
