White House Comments on Putin's Nuclear Plans for Belarus

White House reported that the United States (US) will continue to monitor the implications of Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

"We will continue to monitor the implications of that. We haven't seen any reason to adjust our strategic nuclear posture, nor any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon,” White House press secretary Karen Jean-Pierre said, when asked about the administration's reaction to plans announced by President Putin.

"So we remain committed to the collective defense of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), but we see no reason now to change or modify our position,' Jean-Pierre added.

On Saturday, Russia's President Vladimir Putin said his country will deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, according to TASS state news agency.

Putin said he had reached an agreement with Belarusian President - and his closest regional ally - Alexander Lukashenko.

"We agreed with Lukashenko that we could place tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus without violating the nonproliferation regime," Putin said, according to the TASS report.

"There is nothing unusual here either: The United States has been doing this for decades. They have long placed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allies," the Radded.

Tactical nuclear weapons refer to those used for specific gains on the battlefield, and transferring the weapons would be the first time Russia has built them outside the country since the mid-1990s.