"NATO's expansion to the East and the planned deployment of U.S. missile shield elements in countries neighboring on Belarus seriously complicate the military and political situation near our state borders," Alexander Lukashenko said during a parade dedicated to Belarusian Independence Day.
The president also said that "a basis for European security has been undermined or practically does not work at all, which is the adapted Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty [CFE]."
"All this is happening while developed European countries keep their mouths shut," Lukashenko said, adding that Belarus cannot but take into account all those factors while building its own system of national security.
Apart from Belarus, only Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine have ratified the adapted CFE Treaty.
Addressing the subject of relations with Russia, which opposes the U.S.'s missile shield plans, Lukashenko said, "Despite difficulties in economic relations with Russia, Belarus will always stay true to the Union relations and abide by the concluded agreements."
International human rights groups have repeatedly voiced concerns over democratic processes in Belarus after Lukashenko took office for a third time in elections described as fraudulent by the United States and Europe.
Last year, the U.S. and the then-25 member EU also imposed a travel ban on Lukashenko, dubbed by Washington as "Europe's last dictator," and other top Belarusian officials following Lukashenko's landslide victory in a presidential election last March.
