MINSK. Aug 18 (Interfax) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has reaffirmed his intention not to use nuclear weapons deployed in his country, but for that, other countries must not engage in any acts of aggression against Belarus.
"Indeed, nuclear weapons will not be used unless we face an act of aggression," Lukashenko said in an interview with Ukrainian journalist Diana Panchenko.
At the same time, Lukashenko said that he will be ready to use "the entire arsenal of our weapons for deterrence" should any aggression be staged against Belarus.
Belarus is not Russia with its vast territories, Belarus has no opportunity to just wait and watch, the president said, adding that Belarus' territory could be seized "within a month".
"We won't wait for that and watch. As soon as we face an act of aggression, we, according to our plan, will respond using everything that we have. And we brought nuclear weapons to our territory not to scare anyone," he said.
Nuclear weapons themselves - even tactical nuclear weapons, not strategic ones - are a powerful deterrence factor, the president said.
"And we will use it immediately as soon as an act of aggression is staged against us," Lukashenko said.