One of Vladimir Putin's fiercest ally's has threatened the US with 'nuclear war' if Donald Trump gives in to Ukraine's latest plea.
President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus issued the chilling warning while speaking at a meeting in Minsk, the country's capital, on Tuesday (October 14).
The 71-year-old has stood by Russia throughout its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022, opening its borders to allow Putin to station his troops on his territory, as well as giving access to its military airbases to enable the Kremlin to launch missiles and aircrafts from Belarus.
On top of all that, Lukashenko, who has ruled the nation since the Republic of Belarus established the office in 1994, which was formed three years after the fall of the Soviet Union - also allowed the Russians to invade his southern neighbor from the Belarus-Ukraine border.
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Meanwhile, in September, Belarus - which translates in Russian to 'White Russia', or, to be more specific 'White Ruthenia' - held a joint military exercise with Putin's men to showcase their strength.
The d*** swinging exercise saw the pair practice launching nuclear weapons, after Russia deployed them to Belarus.
Speaking at the meeting yesterday, Lukashenko escalated World War III fears, saying per the state-owned BelTA news agency: "Tomahawks will not solve the problem. They will escalate the situation to a nuclear war.
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"Perhaps Donald Trump understands this better than anyone, as he is in no hurry to hand over this lethal weapon for deep strikes into Russian territory, as President Zelenskyy is counting on."
That was in response to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's plea to the US to send its American-made missiles, Tomahawks, which can launch from the ground, ships or submarines.
The weapons are capable of striking targets precisely from more than 1,000 miles away, meaning Ukraine could use them to target.
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Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday, Trump warned Russia that he could bolster Ukraine's defences by supplying them these devastating missiles.
"I might say, ‘Look: if this war is not going to get settled, I’m going to send them Tomahawks’. The Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, very offensive weapon. And honestly, Russia does not need that," he said.
“I might tell them that if the war is not settled – that we may very well. We may not, but we may do it. I think it’s appropriate to bring up."
The president added that he had spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about sending Tomahawks to his country; a claim Zelenskyy appeared to corroborate when he was asked on Fox News' The Sunday Briefing whether Trump had approved the Tomahawks.
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The Ukrainian president said: "We work on it. I’m waiting for president to yes. Of course we count on such decisions, but we will see. We will see."
Trump and Zelenskyy are set to meet once again at the White House on Friday.
Topics: Donald Trump, Russia, Vladimir Putin, Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Joe Yates