Russia and Belarus sign a treaty on mutual security guarantees

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed a treaty on security guarantees between the two countries on December 6.

The ceremony took place in Minsk after a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State.

"This treaty will reliably protect the security of Russia and Belarus, create conditions for further peaceful and sustainable development of our states," Putin said during the meeting.

As the Russian leader specified, the document defines mutual allied obligations to ensure defense, protection of sovereignty, independence and constitutional order of Russia and Belarus, as well as inviolability of the territory of the external border of the Union State.

According to Putin, it refers to the potential use of all available forces and means, including Russian tactical nuclear weapons, which, according to Lukashenko's proposal, were located on the Belarusian territory.

In addition, the parties signed an agreement on the formation of a unified electricity market of the two countries.

Earlier in the day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, answering the question of "Izvestia" in Minsk, that the deepened interaction between Russia and Belarus in the field of security is necessary for the allied cooperation of the two countries. According to his information, these measures will also concern the "nuclear umbrella," among other things.

In turn, State Secretary of the Belarusian Security Council Alexander Wolfovich said that Moscow would protect Minsk in a difficult moment, and Belarus could always be expected to respond with support. He pointed out the importance of mutual protection of the national interests of the two countries on the world arena, where there are disappointing trends in the security sphere.

Putin approved the signing of a treaty on security guarantees with Belarus the day before. The proposal of the Russian Foreign Ministry was coordinated with the interested federal government agencies.