Belarusian leader warns of “mad arms race” in world, flags nuclear risks

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko warned that the world is being drawn into a “mad arms race”, including nuclear weapons, and called on all people of goodwill to do everything possible to prevent another global conflict.

Speaking at a ceremony at the Independence Palace to present state awards and general’s epaulettes to officers of the country’s security forces, Lukashenko linked the warning to the ongoing celebrations of Defender of the Fatherland and Armed Forces Day, one of Belarus’s major national holidays, Caliber.Az reports via Belarus media.

Marking the 85th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War, he recalled the immense suffering the Soviet peoples endured during the conflict.

“We see that today’s international situation resembles that difficult period in our country’s history,” Lukashenko said.

“The West is deliberately stoking military hysteria, NATO military budgets are continuously rising, and the pace of militarisation in Europe, especially among our western neighbours, is accelerating.”

Lukashenko added that the system of checks and balances that once underpinned European security has been undermined, noting that the world is now “being drawn into another mad arms race, including nuclear weapons.”

In this context, he said, it is the duty of all people of goodwill to take every possible measure to prevent another global war.

He emphasised that the Belarusian people must have confidence in the armed forces’ ability to ensure the country’s security. “Our main strengths are national unity, a strong army, high morale, and the training of our soldiers and officers across all security services,” he said.

Lukashenko also underscored the ongoing need to strengthen Belarus’s defence capabilities and safeguard national security.

By Aghakazim Guliyev