President Alexander Lukashenko, has been a long-term ally of Moscow and has welcomed joining with Russia which comes soon after Vladimir Putin questioned the sovereignty of states in the EU. Mr Lukashenko has been president of Belarus since 1994 and helped to create the Union State which is a supranational union between Belarus and Russia. His comments come as Putin questioned whether the US had violated the sovereignty of Eastern European countries following the deployment of US missiles in the area.

Mr Lukashenko said: “The two of us could unite tomorrow, no problem.

“We’re ready to unite and consolidate our efforts, states and peoples as far as we’re ready.

“But are you—Russians and Belarusians—ready for it?”

Although Putin’s Presidential term ends in 2024, there have been reports that he could create a new country by absorbing Belarus and therefore, create a new state and thus extending his tenure.

With both the US and Russia withdrawing from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), Putin has insisted that no country wants any American missile presence within its borders.

He also insisted that no state in Eastern Europe is independent due to America’s influence.

Putin said: “There are simply no fully independent states in the world.

“The modern world is a world of interdependence.

“Do you think someone from European countries wants U.S. medium-range missiles to appear in Europe?

“No one wants that but they keep quiet. Where is their sovereignty?”

As tensions between the US rise, Putin also pointed the finger at the EU as he continued his war of words.

He declared that the EU was similar to the Soviet Union and that the European Parliament makes the decisions for its member states.

He concluded: “The European Parliament makes more binding decisions for all its members than the Supreme Soviet of the USSR once took such decisions for the Union republics.”