MINSK, 16 May (BelTA) – Russia and Belarus, as allies, have a common defense space and must strengthen it as quickly as possible amid the current challenging situation in the world, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov said as he met with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko on 16 May, BelTA has learned.
"I would like to note that Russia and Belarus are not just allies. We have a common defense space, which we are strengthening due to the very complex international situation. We must reinforce it as quickly as possible," Andrei Belousov stated. He outlined three key areas in which both countries are working together to enhance their defense capabilities.
The first priority is improving the coordination of troops and the efficiency of headquarters operations. A key event in this area of cooperation is the joint army exercise Zapad 2025 [West 2025], scheduled for early autumn this year. The drills will take place simultaneously at training grounds in Russia and Belarus.
The second focus is the training of Belarusian military personnel in Russian higher education institutions. According to Andrei Belousov, more than 300 Belarusian servicemen are currently studying in Russian military universities. "We are actively sharing experience and plan to continue transferring knowledge of the most modern forms of warfare, including lessons from the special military operation, particularly in the use of drone systems, which are becoming increasingly relevant," he said.
The third area involves military-technical cooperation between the two countries. Belarusian and Russian defense ministries plan to hold negotiations on this topic during Andrei Belousov's working visit to Minsk. "Today, [Belarusian Defense Minister] Viktor Khrenin and I have scheduled to discuss all the issues on the agenda in detail. The agenda is extensive: our side alone has 15 issues to address. I believe Viktor Khrenin has even more, but some of them will be similar. We will certainly discuss everything," the Russian defense minister said.
"Thank you very much. You have perfectly outlined the three main directions. I see these issues in exactly the same way," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
As it was reported earlier, Andrei Belousov arrived in Belarus on a working visit on 16 May. The Russian defense minister plans to hold a number of talks in Minsk.
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