Two U.S. military officers observed major military drills between Russia and Belarus on Monday, marking the first time U.S. military officers observed the joint military exercises since the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine.
According to Reuters, the Zapad-2025 joint military exercises between Russia and Belarus were observed by at least two U.S. military officers on Monday. The outlet noted that one of the U.S. military officers was identified as Air Force Lt. Col. Bryan Shoupe.
Reuters reported that Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenikov greeted the two U.S. military officers on Monday and told them, “We will show whatever is of interest for you. Whatever you want. You can go there and see, talk to people.”
A video shared on X, formerly Twitter, shows the two U.S. military officers being greeted by Khrenikov on Monday.
The visit by the two U.S. military officers came after White House Special Envoy John Coale visited Minsk, Belarus, last week and indicated that President Donald Trump’s administration wanted to reopen the U.S. embassy in the country and reestablish trade with Belarus in the future, according to Reuters.
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The Zapad-2025 military exercises are being conducted at multiple locations in both Russia and Belarus, according to Reuters. In a statement obtained by Al Jazeera last week, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that the objectives of the joint exercises “are to improve the skills of commanders and staffs, the level of cooperation and field training of regional and coalition groupings of troops.”
Reuters reported that the attendance of the two U.S. military officers at Zapad-2025 appeared to be a surprise for the Belarusian Ministry of Defense. In a statement obtained by the outlet, the Ministry of Defense of Belarus said, “Who would have thought how the morning of another day of the Zapad-2025 exercise would begin?”
According to Reuters, a U.S. military official also observed the Zapad military drills when they were held in Belarus in 2021 prior to the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine. The outlet added that the Belarusian Ministry of Defense confirmed that representatives from 23 different countries observed the Zapad-2025 military drills, including representatives from Hungary and Turkey, which are both members of NATO.
