A 1999 treaty envisages the merger of Russia and Belarus into a union state. While Vladimir Putin works towards this goal, Alexander Lukashenko opposes it – and tries to draw others into it. With the President of Kazakhstan, however, he came across the wrong person.
Alexander Lukashenko resisted this for a long time, but now he could no longer prevent it: the stationing of Russian nuclear weapons in his country. The Belarusian dictator would now like to draw others into this fate. True to the motto: A sorrow shared is a sorrow halved. In the propaganda program “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin” on Russian state TV, Lukashenko called on Kazakhstan to join the union state between Russia and Belarus – then there would be nuclear weapons “for everyone,” according to the dictator.
But Lukashenko reckoned without the President of the Central Asian country, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. He reacted to Lukashenko’s suggestion with undisguised mockery.
Rebuff for Alexander Lukashenko
“A few days ago, Belarusian President Lukashenko suggested that Kazakhstan join the Union State. I appreciated his joke,” .
“I don’t think there is a need for this, since there are other integration associations, above all the Eurasian Economic Union,” Tokayev Lukashenko said in a clear rebuff. And he was even clearer: “As for nuclear weapons, we don’t need them. Since we are party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. We remain true to our obligations under these international agreements,” Tokayev said and thus not only took the liberty of attacking the Belarusian dictator, but also the dictator in the Kremlin, who does not comply with any international agreements.
Even before Lukashenko’s appearance on the propaganda program “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin,” Tokayev had spoken of a “problem” at a regional summit meeting with a view to the closeness between Belarus and Russia. “The formula ‘two countries – one state’ (between Russia and Belarus) creates a unique precedent with a single political, legal, military, economic, monetary, cultural and humanitarian space,” said Tokayev. “Even nuclear weapons are now being shared,” added the Kazakh president.
Lukashenko announced last Thursday that the transfer of Russian nuclear weapons to Belarus had now begun.
Tokayev stands up to Putin
Vladimir Putin likes to count Kazakhstan among his closest allies. However, the Kazakh ruler has shown time and again where the boundaries of this friendship run.
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Kazakhstan is an economic heavyweight in Central Asia. Various military and economic alliances connect the country with Russia. The resource-rich country is also interesting for China, the West and Turkey. However, the West accuses the Kazakh leadership of helping Moscow to circumvent the sanctions imposed because of the Ukraine war.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
