MINSK, 17 September (BelTA) – Participating states should resume the development of good neighborly relations. The Belarusian delegation made the statement at a session of the Forum for Security Cooperation in the headquarters of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna, Austria on 17 September, BelTA has learned.
During the session the Belarusian delegation presented information about the Belarusian-Russian strategic army exercise Zapad 2025 that had taken place in Belarus. “Upon the invitation of the Belarusian side representatives of 23 states, including eight OSCE member states, including military attachés of three NATO member states (Hungary, the USA, and Türkiye), observed one of the key stages of practical actions of the troops during the exercise on 15 September 2025. About 150 reporters from 15 countries were accredited to cover the exercise. Detailed information about progress of the exercise was available on the website of the Belarusian Defense Ministry and on the ministry’s social networks,” the Belarusian delegation noted.
Regretfully, in response to Belarus’ unprecedented openness the neighbors used the Zapad 2025 exercise as a pretext for increasing the number of and the scale of operational and combat training events near Belarus’ borders. Poland has gone so far as to close the border with Belarus, citing the threats allegedly originating from the Zapad 2025 exercise as the reason.
“It is thoughtless decisions that present a threat to security and stability. Moreover, the military exercises taking place in Poland’s territory at present are much larger than the Zapad 2025 exercise. For instance, according to statements made by Poland’s military and political leaders the complex of Iron Defender 2025 exercises involves about 34,000 military personnel and 600 units of military hardware,” the Belarusian diplomats stated. “It met justified concerns from the Belarusian side. This is why we’ve sent a query to Poland in line with clause 16.1, chapter 3 of the Vienna Document for the sake of clarification of this unusual military activity. We note that the Polish side has presented a timely and rather detailed answer with appropriate explanations.”
“The fact that on the eve of the Zapad 2025 exercise amid extreme tensions the Polish Armed Forces took sensible and only correct actions in the form of active working contacts with the Belarusian side is worth noting. The Belarusian and Polish duty air defense units shared information after Russia and Ukraine exchanged drone strikes at night. It is a pity that unlike the military Poland’s political leadership lacked the courage to publicly recognize this fact and once again stooped to baseless cut-and-dried accusations,” the Belarusian delegation stressed.
Contacts between the Belarusian and Polish duty air defense units represent a good example of professional and depoliticized interaction for the sake of preventing dangerous incidents of military nature.
“We grow increasingly convinced that the leadership of the armed forces of European states is starting to realize that fully functional contacts in military affairs are necessary for defusing the military and political tension and for restoring trust. Once again we call upon the participating states to demonstrate political will and get back to building good neighborly relations in the OSCE space by starting this process with a mutually respectful, equal, and professional dialogue,” the Belarusian delegation stressed.
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