Lithuania to call for sanctions over Russian plan for nuclear weapons in Belarus

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Russia's Putin holds talks with China's Xi in Moscow
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a joint statement with Chinese President Xi Jinping following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia March 21, 2023. Sputnik/Vladimir Astapkovich/Kremlin via REUTERS

VILNIUS, March 26 (Reuters) - Lithuania said on Sunday it would call for new sanctions against Moscow and Minsk in response to Russia's plan to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

The statement from Lithuania's foreign ministry came hours after NATO criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin for what it called his "dangerous and irresponsible" nuclear rhetoric.

Lithuania will ask for the additional sanctions on Russia and Belarus to be included in a package of penalties being discussed in Brussels, the ministry's spokesperson said.

"Together with its Euro-Atlantic partners, Lithuania will decide how to react to these militaristic plans of the Russian and Belarusian regimes," the ministry said in a statement.

"Belarus, which is increasingly losing its sovereignty, supports and helps Russia's aggression, and is increasingly integrated into Russia's military plans, is an additional risk factor for the Baltic region", it added.

Putin on Saturday likened his plans to the U.S. stationing its weapons in Europe, while insisting that Russia would not violate its nuclear non-proliferation promises.

Reporting by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius

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Andrius covers politics and general news in the Baltics - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the three key states along the NATO's eastern flank, the staunchest supporters of Ukraine and the most vocal critics of Russia in NATO and the European Union. He wrote stories on everything from China pressuring German companies to leave Taiwan-supporting Lithuania to Iraqi migrants hiding in the forest at the Belarus border to a farmer burning grain for heat during the energy crisis. Contact: +37068274006.

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