Belarus nuclear referendum 'greatly worrying', EU's Borrell says

FILE PHOTO: High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell speaks during a news conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, after Russia launched a massive military operation against Ukraine, in Brussels, Belgium, February 27, 2022. Stephanie Lecocq/Pool via REUTERS

PARIS (Reuters) - The referendum vote in Belarus to ditch its non-nuclear status was a "greatly worrying" move orchestrated by the country's strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday.

The vote to change the constitution, passed by 65% according to official data, could see nuclear weapons on Belarusian soil for the first time since the country gave them up after the fall of the Soviet Union.