Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, sees the possible deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus as a threat to European security. 

Belarus hosting Russian nuclear weapons would mean an irresponsible escalation & threat to European security."

#Belarus hosting Russian nuclear weapons would mean an irresponsible escalation & threat to European security. Belarus can still stop it, it is their choice.

The EU stands ready to respond with further sanctions.

— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) March 26, 2023

He stressed that Belarus can still stop this, and "it is their choice".

Borrell stressed that in any case, the EU is ready to respond to the escalation with further sanctions.

On 25 March, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus; a storage facility would be ready by July.

NATO has called Russia's nuclear rhetoric "dangerous and irresponsible", while the United States has noted that they see no signs of Russia preparing to use nuclear weapons.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine demanded that an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council be convened. Ukraine also expects that the United Kingdom, China, the United States and France take efficient actions to counteract the Kremlin's nuclear blackmail.