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French President Emmanuel Macron (left) asked not to spread nuclear weapons to foreign territory. Russia responded by showing a map of the distribution of US nuclear bombs in Europe. Photo/REUTERS
MOSCOW – French President Emmanuel Macron, in a press conference in China, said nuclear weapons cannot be used in foreign territories.
The statement came after Russia decided it would deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus as its war in Ukraine escalated.
Macron argued that Russia’s decision to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus was inconsistent with its obligations under international law.
“France believes that nuclear weapons must be completely excluded from the conflict in Ukraine. Nuclear weapons must not be used outside the territory of nuclear powers, especially in Europe,” Macron said on Thursday.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova responded by giving a poignant satire, namely by showing the United States (US)—an ally of France in NATO—as the only country that has deployed nuclear weapons to five European countries for decades.
“Am I correct in understanding that Paris’s strong demand is directed at Washington? Are Paris’ demands not to deploy nuclear weapons on foreign soil directed at Washington?” asked Zakharova via Twitter.
The Russian Foreign Ministry also shared two images claiming that the US is deploying nuclear weapons in various European countries. The two images also list the names of six countries where the US has deployed its nuclear weapons, the B61 bombs.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that Moscow will deploy tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian territory without violating international regulations.
Putin said that construction of a tactical nuclear weapons storage facility in Belarus would be completed by July 1 and added that Moscow had helped modernize Belarusian warplanes to be capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
The two neighboring countries have an agreement to forge close economic, political and military ties. According to an ABC News report, Friday (7/4/2023), Russia is using Belarusian territory as a staging ground to attack Ukraine, maintaining a contingent of troops and weapons there.
Belarus shares a 1,250-kilometer border with NATO members; Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.
Tactical nuclear weapons, intended to destroy enemy troops and weapons on the battlefield, have a relatively short range and much lower yield compared to nuclear warheads mounted on long-range strategic missiles capable of obliterating entire cities.
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