n an annual address to lawmakers and government officials, Mr Lukashenko said Moscow’s plans to station nuclear arms on the territory of its close ally would help protect Belarus, which he said was under threat from the West.
“I am not trying to intimidate or blackmail anyone.
"I want to safeguard the Belarusian state and ensure peace for the Belarusian people,” Mr Lukashenko said.
Although Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that the tactical missiles would remain under Moscow’s control, Mr Lukashenko suggested he could use them with Russia’s agreement if Belarus was threatened with destruction.
He also raised the prospect of deploying strategic nuclear weapons – intercontinental ballistic missiles that can destroy whole cities from thousands of miles away – on Belarusian soil.
Mr Lukashenko said Belarus had enough conventional weapons to counter threats, “but if we see that behind (the threats) lies the destruction of our country, we will use everything we have”.
“If necessary, Putin and I will decide and bring in strategic weapons – if needed,” the Belarusian leader said.
He offered no evidence of such a threat from the West, or of a further allegation that there were plans to invade Belarus from neighbouring Poland, a member of the US-led western Nato alliance.
“Take my word for it, I have never deceived you.
"They are preparing to invade Belarus, to destroy our country,” he told the audience.
Russia’s decision to station tactical nuclear missiles in Belarus amid rising tension with the West over its invasion of Ukraine is its first deployment of nuclear weapons outside its borders since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Belarus said this week that the weapons would offer protection against what it described as a campaign of pressure from the United States and its allies aimed at overthrowing Mr Lukashenko, who has been in power in the country for nearly three decades.
US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday he found the promised deployment “worrisome”.
In yesterday’s speech, Mr Lukashenko also called for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire in the Ukraine war.
He cautioned that Russia would be forced to use “the most terrible weapon” if it felt that it was threatened.
“It is impossible to defeat a nuclear power.
"If the Russian leadership understands that the situation threatens to cause Russia’s disintegration, it will use the most terrible weapon.
"This cannot be allowed,” Mr Lukashenko said.
The Kremlin acknowledged Mr Lukashenko’s ceasefire proposal.
He added that both Putin and Mr Lukashenko would have an opportunity to discuss it next week, but that the situation in Ukraine had not changed.
Ukraine has previously rejected Minsk’s offer to broker peace.
Russia used Belarus as a launchpad for its invasion of Ukraine on February 24 last year, and Kyiv says Russia continues to use Belarusian airspace for drone and missile strikes against Ukraine.
Belarus has said it will not enter the war, but regularly holds joint military training exercises alongside Russian forces.