Ukraine live briefing: Russia and Belarus sign nuclear weapons deal; Zelensky heralds F-16 jets

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu signed an agreement Thursday with his counterpart in neighboring Belarus, allowing for the storage of tactical nuclear weapons on the Russian ally’s territory.

The deal meets “every existent international legal obligation,” Shoigu said, during a signing ceremony in the Belarusian capital, Minsk. He also warned that further steps could be taken to protect the countries’ collective security. At the same time, he underlined that Russia “is not giving nuclear weapons to Belarus” and that control over their use and deployment remains “in the hands” of Moscow.