The United States has warned Belarus that its authoritarian government will also face a «swift and decisive response» if it helps a Russian ally in invading neighboring Ukraine, Ned Price, the State Department spokesperson, told reporters on January 25.
«We’ve also made clear to Belarus that if it allows its territory to be used for an attack on Ukraine, it would face a swift and decisive response from the United States and our allies and partners,» a State Department spokesman said.
Price added that possible aggressive actions from the territory of Belarus, or the permanent deployment of Russian troops, will force NATO to reconsider the grouping of its forces in the bordering countries.
«We would – if an invasion were to proceed from Belarus, if Russian troops were to permanently station on their territory, NATO could well have to reassess our own force posture in the countries that border Belarus,» he said.
A State Department spokesperson said the arrival of Russian troops is of great concern.
«Russia’s surging of troops into Belarus is a cause for deep concern. That surge, as I alluded to a moment ago, threatens Belarus’s sovereignty; it undermines its status in some ways as an independent country,» Price said.
Price noted that Belarus is becoming an increasingly destabilizing player in the region. He mentioned the migration crisis and accused the Belarusian authorities of organizing it. In his opinion, the provision of infrastructure for the deployment of a large number of Russian troops is an insult to the sovereignty of Belarus.
«It is another indication that this is a regime that has little regard for its own people, little regard for the state, and the most regard for the survival, the welfare of the regime itself,» he said.
A day earlier, Aliaksandr Lukashenka told about a similar warning during the approval of the decision to protect the State border by the border service in 2022.
«Just a day ago, I was informed of the threatening position of the US State Department. They came to our diplomats in New York and threatened us: yes, if you allow Putin and Russia, allow this or that, then we will impose sanctions. If you return these nuclear weapons to Belarus, there will be this or that. You see, a mentoring tone towards Belarus,» Lukashenka said.
Last week, the US State Department held a special briefing on the situation in Belarus. The representative of the US Foreign Ministry doubted the independence of Aliaksandr Lukashenka and warned of serious consequences if Belarus participates in the alleged Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Source: Reform.by
