MOSCOW 

Belarus will use nuclear weapons as soon as it is attacked by the West, President Alexander Lukashenko said on Friday.

During a meeting with university students in Minsk, Lukashenko discussed the circumstances under which nuclear weapons could be used to protect Belarus and Russia.

Lukashenko emphasized that NATO forces, including US and Polish troops, are positioned along Belarus' western borders. "We will use nuclear weapons the moment they attack us," he said.

In such a scenario, an attack on Russia would also be inevitable, Lukashenko said, adding: "Thus, Russia would deploy its full arsenal. And that means World War III. But the West doesn’t want that either. They are not ready for it. We’ve made it clear that our red line is our national borders. If they cross them, our response will be immediate. We are preparing for this. I’m being honest and transparent about it."

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday said an attack on Russia by a non-nuclear state, supported by a nuclear power, would be regarded as a joint attack.

"We reserve the right to use nuclear weapons in response to an attack on Russia or Belarus. This also applies to cases where conventional weapons create a critical threat to our sovereignty," he said.