Pentagon confirms US officers observed exercises in Belarus
Kyiv • UNN
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the participation of American military personnel in the Russian-Belarusian exercises "Zapad-2025" in Belarus. This visit took place as part of a "distinguished visitors day" and is a sign of warming relations between Washington and Belarus.
American military personnel attended the joint Russian-Belarusian exercises "Zapad-2025", observing them on the "day of honored guests". This was stated by Pentagon press secretary Sean Parnell, UNN reports with reference to the Reuters news agency.
The US Embassy in Minsk, Belarus, received an invitation for our defense attaché to attend the Zapad-2025 military exercises in Belarus as part of the distinguished visitors' day, and we accepted the invitation given the recent productive bilateral contacts between our countries.
He noted that attendance at exercises on such "distinguished visitors' days" is common practice between armed forces.
According to Reuters, the presence of American officers at the exercises, less than a week after neighboring Poland shot down Russian drones that flew into its airspace, was the latest signal that Washington is seeking to improve relations with Belarus.
Western analysts suggest that Trump may be trying to distance Belarus from Russia – a strategy many consider unrealistic – or use its close ties with Moscow to push for a deal to end the war against Ukraine.
Recall
On September 15, the American military observed joint military exercises of Russia and Belarus, which began against the backdrop of escalating relations with NATO. Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin invited them to see "everything that is interesting," which was another sign of warming relations between Washington and Belarus.