MINSK, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Russia is ready to provide Belarus with weapons if needed, Russian Ambassador to Belarus Mikhail Babich told reporters.
"All necessary assistance will be provided in a format and quantity that will be consistent with the situation," Babich said Friday here when asked whether Russia is ready to supply missiles to Belarus if threats are detected from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Russia never separates itself "from Belarus in the defense sector," the ambassador said.
Babich said that from 2012 to 2015, NATO adopted an active policy of expanding eastward to deploy various military facilities near the borders of Russia.
Regarding the ongoing negotiations of deploying a Russian military base in Belarus, the ambassador said it is irrelevant.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said earlier this month that Belarus will need more effective weapons if NATO continues to "intimidate" by deploying bases in Poland, or in some other ways.
However, the president has also said there was no need to deploy military bases of other countries, including Russia, in Belarus, adding that the ongoing conversations are just nothing more than chatter.
