Belarus is ready to host nuclear weapons in its territory in case of threats from NATO, Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei said in an interview with the RT Arabic television channel.

"What President Alexander Lukashenko said about our consideration of the possibility of hosting nuclear weapons in the territory of Belarus is one of the potential responses to future possible actions of the North Atlantic Alliance in the territory of Poland," the BelTA state-run news agency quoted Makei as saying on Saturday.

The Belarusian foreign minister also noted increase of the NATO forces in Ukraine.

"We see that the quantity of servicemen of the U.S. and NATO staying in Ukraine is growing," the minister said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in early December that the statements made by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on the possible placement of Russian nuclear weapons can be taken as a warning to the West.

"I would take this statement as a very serious warning, which is dictated in particular by the foolhardy policies pursued by the West," Lavrov said at a meeting in the Federation Council. In particular, when a new coalition was formed in Germany, some people demanded removing nuclear weapons from the territory of Germany, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg talked about the possibility of nuclear weapons being moved eastward, he said. "What else needs to be explained to our Western colleagues to make such reckless things finally stop? I think Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko was reacting to these exact messages," Lavrov said.

Ryabkov said in early December that Moscow has heard and taken into consideration a message from Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko regarding the possibility of hosting Russian nuclear weapons in Belarusian territory. "We have heard the message from President Lukashenko. We have taken it into account. We are extremely responsible about the fulfilment of our obligations under the treaties that Russia is a party to. Belarus acts likewise, we have no doubt about that. However, Western colleagues should stop at a certain point and think on what they're doing and why their actions, statements, and disregard for obvious things undermine the existent system of international security, including the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty," he said, answering a question from Interfax on December 1.