Despite its latest steps, the West is very afraid of the possibility of a new large-scale war or a nuclear disaster, the Belarusian president said menacingly Alexander Lukashenko in an interview on Rossiya-1 channel’s 60 Minutes show.

It is noted that its president Russia’s Vladimir Putin announced in March plan for development of tactical nuclear weapons on its territory Belarus. It is the first time Moscow has moved such weapons outside Russian territory since 1991 and the fall of the Soviet Union.

“I met people who play an important role in these things, who make radical, drastic and final decisions in the case of “if,”” Lukashenko said. “What they fear most is a nuclear disaster and they’ve been honest about that. They fear the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine. It’s completely natural,” he added.

Minsk does not want things to develop like this either, Lukashenko assured. “Neither do we seek such a thing, and we are afraid. Why this, experts say, could cause a global catastrophe and this planet can go off its orbit if all these weapons explode,” he said.

According to Lukashenko, “Russia can use nukes if the enemy invades its territory or if this act of aggression threatens the existence of the state.” He urged talks to be held while there is an opportunity for them, but the West, he claimed, is barring Ukraine from engaging in any talks.

“I am sure and I have good information that the vast majority (of people) in Ukraine, including the army fighting and killing there, would like to stop this war now,” the Belarusian leader said. “But there are those overrated senior officials led by (Ukrainian President) Volodya Zelensky. He’s a “hero” now, going around the world… They kiss him, hug him and all that. I thought he was smarter” Lukashenko pointedly commented.