Putin says Russia agrees with Belarus to station tactical nuclear weapons

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Russia has struck a deal with Belarus to station tactical nuclear weapons on its territory.

Putin said that the United States had stationed nuclear weapons on the territory of European allies and would not violate nuclear non-proliferation agreements.

Putin said that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has raised the issue of stationing tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, which borders Poland.

"We agreed with Lukashenko that we would place tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus without violating the non-proliferation regime," Tass quoted Putin as saying.

Russia will have completed the construction of a storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus by July 1, Putin said, adding that Russia wouldn't be transferring control of the arms to Minsk.

Russia already has 10 aircraft in Belarus capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons, he said.