This could be the opening moment to new tensions after President Vladimir Putin announced Russia's plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.
Speaking to state broadcaster Russia 1 on Saturday, Putin said Moscow would complete the construction of a special storage facility for nuclear weapons in its neighboring country in early July.
As a result, Russia is helping Belarus prepare 10 aircraft to facilitate carrying the weapons and begin pilot training early next month.
For information, Belarus is one of Moscow's closest allies, as it is located in the west of Russia on the northern border of Ukraine.
It also played a key role in helping the country launch a pre-emptive attack on Kyiv in February 2022 by allowing Kremlin forces to enter Ukraine from the north.
Putin's statement apparently got the attention of NATO which has condemned the action as dangerous and irresponsible.
In fact, Ukraine has also called for a meeting of the UN Security Council in response to the move.
Even so, the United States responded cautiously, with a senior administration official saying there were no signs Moscow planned to use its nuclear weapons.
What is the sign behind Putin's actions?
