On September 15, U.S. military officers observed joint military exercises between Russia and Belarus. Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin told them they could look at "anything they were interested in."
Points of attention
- The presence of US military officers at the Russian-Belarusian exercises West-2025 signals a potential improvement in relations between the US, Belarus, and Russia.
- Belarus allowing US troops to participate in the exercises demonstrates a level of transparency and commitment to fostering mutual understanding.
- The invitation extended to the American military attaché to observe and assess the Zapad-2025 exercise reflects a desire for objective evaluation and open communication between the nations involved.
US military attaché attended Russian-Belarusian exercises “West-2025”
Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin spoke with the American military attaché at the training ground and invited him to give an objective assessment of the Zapad-2025 exercises, the Belarusian Defense Ministry reported.
"I'm glad you responded to our invitation. We wanted you to take a look (at the Zapad-2025 exercises — ed.) and give an objective assessment," said Viktor Khrenin.
The Minister of Defense gave the head of the Department of International Military Cooperation instructions: to give American guests the best places, to show them absolutely everything that interests them.
The American military attaché thanked Viktor Khrenin for the invitation to observe the Zapad-2025 exercise.
Representatives of 23 states are present at the exercises today, including three from NATO countries — the United States, Turkey, and Hungary, the Belarusian Ministry of Defense said.
It is noted that the presence of American officers is the latest sign of warming relations between Washington and Minsk, a close ally of Moscow, which allowed it to use its territory to send tens of thousands of troops to invade Ukraine in February 2022.
The publication recalled that last week, US President Donald Trump's representative, John Cole, was in Minsk and held talks with Alexander Lukashenko, who agreed to release 52 people from prison, including journalists and political opponents.
In return, the US eased sanctions on the Belarusian national airline Belavia, allowing it to maintain and purchase components for its fleet, which includes Boeing aircraft.
