The United States announced on Friday that it held a meeting with experts from China, France, Russia, and the United Kingdom as part of an ongoing exchange amidst Russia’s war in Ukraine. The meeting took place in Cairo on June 13 and 14 and focused on strategic risk reduction, nuclear doctrines, and policy within the context of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The U.S. delegation included representatives from the State and Defense Departments and the National Nuclear Security Administration. The State Department expressed satisfaction with the professional approach of the delegations and the inclusion of defense officials in the discussions. National security spokesman John Kirby referred to the meeting as a routine dialogue that allowed experts to discuss nuclear safety protocols and procedures. The NPT mandates negotiations among the five nuclear powers to eventually eliminate their arsenals, while non-nuclear nations refrain from acquiring nuclear weapons in exchange for the ability to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
In a separate development, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko confirmed on June 16 the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Some of these warheads are expected to be three times more powerful than the atomic bombs dropped by the United States during World War II. Speaking at an economic forum, Putin stated that only the first batch of nuclear warheads had been delivered to Belarus, with the remaining deliveries to be completed by the end of the summer or year. Putin’s decision to deploy these weapons is seen by some experts as a response to Russia’s vulnerability in the Ukrainian conflict. As Ukraine counterattacks, Russia faces the risk of losing territory and potential attacks on its own homeland. Therefore, Putin’s deployment of tactical nuclear weapons is seen as a form of military blackmail to pressure NATO into limiting military aid to Ukraine. However, it also highlights Putin’s vulnerability and the impact of the conflict on his power position.
This report was contributed to by Lorenz Duchamps, Jessica Mao, Olivia Li, and the Associated Press.