Belarus, Russia discuss Union State’s security

Viktor Khrenin emphasized that the strategic nature of relations between Belarus and Russia is successfully implemented in many areas, including the military sphere. “Over the years of our bilateral cooperation, significant results have been achieved. We can confidently state that ministerial interaction has reached an exemplary level. I would like to point out that we and our Russian colleagues hold similar views on assessing challenges and threats. We are improving joint military systems, which are tested during combined operational and combat training events. This year we successfully conducted the joint strategic exercise of the armed forces of Belarus and Russia Zapad 2025, during which we demonstrated the high level of readiness of the military command bodies and troops of both countries for joint actions,” the minister added. “I would like to highlight our cooperation in military technology. Russia is our key supplier of defense products for us. Cooperation in military personnel training is also developing successfully. Currently, more than 400 specialists in various fields are studying in Russia for the needs of the Belarusian Armed Forces. The joint board plays an important role as a permanent advisory body, allowing us to productively address issues of Belarus-Russia cooperation in the military sphere.”

The minister also outlined the features of the evolving military-political situation in Europe: “At present, the development of the military-political situation in Europe is characterized by a confrontational nature, by a clash of interests between global power centers. The Western countries seek to maintain a unipolar world order based on their own rules. They have embarked on an accelerated militarization process, increasing military spending, building forces and assets along the borders of the Union State [of Belarus and Russia], enhancing nuclear potential, and modernizing tactical arsenals. These actions are independent of the United States and NATO, forming a new pan-European nuclear component. Under these circumstances, the joint development of effective models for interstate relations, foreign policy coordination, and strengthening the defense capabilities of the Union State's military organization become crucial for ensuring the security of member states,” Viktor Khrenin stated.

The press service noted that the purpose of the meeting was to organize practical work to create and strengthen the necessary joint military potential to counter military threats and challenges directed against the Union State.

Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov stated that cooperation between Russia and Belarus exemplifies good-neighborly relations based on respect and mutual assistance, adding that their defense partnership plays a vital role in strengthening regional security. “Our countries are united by a heroic past and shared moral and cultural values. One of the most significant events this year was the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. The Belarusian people, more than anyone else, understand the enormous price at which that victory was achieved. Our common task is to preserve the historical truth about those events and to resolutely condemn and suppress any manifestations of neo-Nazism, fascism, and extremism. Today, as the collective West has unleashed a hybrid war against us, Russian-Belarusian cooperation stands as an example of good-neighborly relations based on respect and mutual support,” he said.

Andrei Belousov stressed that defense cooperation between Russia and Belarus is one of the key factors underpinning regional stability and both countries are reinforcing a unified defense space. “Against the backdrop of NATO’s openly hostile activities, our cooperation remains crucial. The Alliance maintains a significant forward military presence on its eastern flank and has intensified training, combat, and intelligence operations near our borders. Recent exercises on NATO’s eastern flank involved about 60,000 troops,” the minister noted. “Together with our Belarusian partners, we are strengthening a unified defense space, ensuring mutual deliveries of defense products, and deepening cooperation between our defense industries. We are prioritizing the enhancement of the regional troop grouping’s combat capabilities and the joint regional air defense system of Russia and Belarus. Each year we conduct more than 150 joint activities, half of them exercises, drills, and training sessions. Their culmination this year was the joint strategic exercise Zapad 2025. In line with its overall concept, additional maneuvers were held in Belarus under the CSTO framework, involving Collective Rapid Reaction Forces, intelligence units, and logistics support. At the joint training and combat center for motorized rifle and tank units in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, two reinforced tank battalions and 49 Belarusian Armed Forces instructors were trained this year in various combat disciplines.”

He further emphasized that the current level of military and military-technical cooperation enables the two countries to make timely joint decisions to counter the full spectrum of modern security challenges and threats.

At the meeting, the parties reviewed the results of their defense ministries’ work over the past period, assessed the implementation of measures to ensure the Union State’s military security, and discussed improvements to joint military systems. In addition, the defense ministers of Belarus and Russia approved the Strategic Military Partnership Program of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation for 2026-2030 and the cooperation plan between the Defense Ministries for 2026.