III 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 268 

Responding to the threat posed by the Russian Federation’s deployment 

of tactical nuclear weapons, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 22, 2023 

Mr. GRAHAM (for himself and Mr. BLUMENTHAL) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Responding to the threat posed by the Russian Federation’s 

deployment of tactical nuclear weapons, and for other 

purposes. 

Whereas the military doctrine of the Russian Federation 

states ‘‘The Russian Federation reserves the right to use 

nuclear weapons in response to . . . large-scale aggression utilizing conventional weapons in situations critical 

to the national security of the Russian Federation’’; 

Whereas it is estimated that the Russian Federation has an 

arsenal of as many as 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons; 

Whereas President Vladimir Putin has expressed a willingness to use tactical nuclear weapons when he stated ‘‘If 

the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we 

will without doubt use all available means to protect Russia and our people—this is not a bluff . . . [a]nd those 


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•SRES 268 IS 

who try to blackmail us with nuclear weapons should 

know that the weathervane can turn and point towards 

them’’; 

Whereas, on March 23, 2023, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy 

Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, stated ‘‘Every day when they [the west] provide 

Ukraine with foreign weapons brings the nuclear apocalypse closer’’; 

Whereas, in May 2023, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus formalized an agreement that allows for 

the deployment of the Russian Federation’s tactical nuclear weapons in the Republic of Belarus; 

Whereas the deployment of the Russian Federation’s tactical 

nuclear weapons in the Republic of Belarus would be the 

first such deployment of these weapons outside of the 

Russian Federation since the fall of the Soviet Union in 

1991; 

Whereas, on June 17, 2023, President Vladimir Putin confirmed that the Russian Federation had begun to deploy 

tactical nuclear weapons within the Republic of Belarus 

and confirmed that the deployment of these weapons 

would be completed by the end of the summer; 

Whereas, on June 17, 2023, following the announcement of 

the Russian Federation’s deployment of tactical nuclear 

weapons in the Republic of Belarus, President Biden expressed publically that such a move was ‘‘totally irresponsible’’; 

Whereas, on June 19, 2023, President Biden stated, ‘‘I 

[worry] about Putin using tactical nuclear weapons’’, and 

that the threat of the Russian Federation using such a 

weapon is ‘‘real’’; 


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•SRES 268 IS 

Whereas the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in the 

Republic of Belarus by the Russian Federation poses an 

increased threat to not only Ukraine but also our NATO 

allies and United States troops stationed in nations along 

the Belarusian border; 

Whereas the use of a tactical nuclear weapon or an attack 

that results in nuclear fallout of any kind would impact 

Europe and NATO member states; and 

Whereas article V of the North Atlantic Treaty states ‘‘. . . 

an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe 

or North America shall be considered an attack against 

them all and . . . will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert 

with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, 

including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain 

the security . . .’’: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) agrees that the deployment of the Russian 

3 Federation’s tactical nuclear weapons within the Re4 public of Belarus is a threat to Ukraine and NATO 

5 member states; 

6 (2) views the use of any tactical nuclear weapon 

7 by the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, 

8 or their proxies, or the destruction of a nuclear facil9 ity, dispersing radioactive contaminates into NATO 

10 territory causing significant harm to human life, as 

11 an attack on NATO requiring an immediate reVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:03 Jun 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR268.IS SR268

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•SRES 268 IS 

1 sponse, including the implementation of article V of 

2 the North Atlantic Treaty; and 

3 (3) urges the current administration to consult 

4 with NATO leaders and other European partners to 

5 develop a comprehensive response to minimize the 

6 threat to civilians and coordinate a diplomatic and 

7 military response commensurate with the situation. 

Æ 


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