Lukashenko, Putin sign Union State agreement on security guarantees

Belarus and Russia have signed an interstate agreement on security guarantees in the Union State. The document was inked by Aleksandr Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin at the Supreme State Council meeting in Minsk on December 6, Report informs via BelTA.

“This agreement will firmly protect the security of Russia and Belarus and create conditions for the further peaceful and sustainable development of our states,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the Supreme State Council meeting.

He went on saying that the agreement lays out mutual obligations to defend, protect the sovereignty, independence and constitutional order of Russia and Belarus, the integrity and inviolability of the territories and the external border of the Union State using all available forces and means.

“This also implies the use of Russian tactical nuclear weapons located on the territory of Belarus at the request of the president of Belarus,” the Russian leader emphasized.

“We have to pay special attention to the defense capabilities of our states. The signing of the Union State Security Concept and the interstate agreement on security guarantees brings us to an unprecedented level of strategic alliance and coordination of actions in the military sphere,” Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized at the Supreme State Council meeting.

According to him, this will prevent the violation of the territorial integrity of Belarus and Russia, preserve sovereignty and independence, and most importantly - create guarantees of peaceful life for the people of both countries.

As the Belarusian head of state noted, even the very intention of Belarus and Russia to draft new security documents has unnerved some ‘partners’ in the West.

Commenting on the work on the agreement, Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maksim Ryzhenkov had explained earlier: “Initially, there was an idea about Russia’s security guarantees for Belarus, but we live in the Union State, and if we are partners, reliable allies and brothers, the guarantees should be mutual. The agreement lies on this premise.” According to him, the provisions of the document completely suit both parties.

State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Aleksandr Volfovich views the agreement on security guarantees as a unique document. “This is the first normative document that spells out that the two states have each other’s back and guarantee each other's security if the other state asks for it. This is very important,” he emphasized as he talked to journalists. Aleksandr Volfovich specified that the agreement on security guarantees takes into account the provisions of the Military Doctrine of Russia, including the use of nuclear weapons. “This means that in the event of threats to the security of the Republic of Belarus, the Russian Federation can use nuclear weapons to protect the national interests of Belarus,” he noted.