There are increasing signs that Russia's Vladimir Putin is becoming increasingly nervous.
The Ukraine war went differently than planned.
Moscow – Is Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin slowly losing his nerve?
Political scientist David Sirakov from the Atlantic Academy in Rhineland-Palatinate considers the stationing of nuclear weapons in Belarus announced by Kremlin chief Putin to be an "act of strategic desperation" in Russia.
"On the one hand, the stationing should show that Russia still has the potential for escalation and blackmail in the conflict with the West - but that is very questionable," said Sirakov.
Putin's move is not surprising given a constitutional change in Belarus last year.
+
At a government meeting, Putin admits that the sanctions could have negative consequences for the Russian economy.
© IMAGO/Gavriil Grigorov
Putin's usual tactic in the Ukraine war: "act of strategic desperation"
"That fits in with the Kremlin's usual tactics of using threatening gestures to dissuade the populations of Western countries from supporting Ukraine." He doesn't think that can succeed.
"I think that's being recognized for what it is: an act of strategic desperation in the face of a war of aggression gone haywire."
The announced stationing also makes it clear how closely Belarus is now connected to Russia, said the director of the Atlantic Academy.
"One Russian newspaper sees this as a kind of unification and shows an additional dimension of Russian imperialism and the further erosion of sovereignty in Minsk."
Pictures of the Ukraine war: great horror and small moments of happiness
Pictures of the Ukraine war: great horror and small moments of happiness
Poland wants to play a greater role in Putin's nuclear deterrent
But the stationing in Belarus is now at least calling Poland on the scene.
The neighboring country can imagine greater participation in NATO's nuclear deterrence - even without stationing nuclear bombs on its territory.
"Poland would potentially be willing to expand its participation and cooperation within the framework of NATO's nuclear deterrent and take responsibility," said Polish President Andrzej Duda's national security adviser Jacek Siewiera.
"Deploying nuclear weapons is different," he added.
So far, Poland has only been involved in consultations, for example in NATO's nuclear planning group, which meets in top secret.
Siewiera did not say how exactly he imagines a stronger participation.
However, he pointed out that nuclear sharing also includes aircraft that could carry “special weapons”.
As early as October last year, Polish President Andrzej Duda announced his fundamental interest in greater participation in NATO's nuclear deterrence.
(
mse/dpa
)
List of rubrics: © IMAGO/Gavriil Grigorov
