On September 15, 2025, a group of US military officers visited a training ground near Barysaw, Belarus, to observe the large-scale “Zapad-2025” exercises jointly conducted by Russia and Belarus. According to Reuters, the presence of the American representatives came as a surprise to the Belarusian Ministry of Defense.
Belarusian Defense Minister Viktar Khrenin said the US observers were “allowed to see everything they are interested in.” Officially, this year observers from 23 countries are attending the drills, including Turkey and Hungary — both NATO members.
The “Zapad-2025” exercises began last Friday on the territory of both Belarus and Russia. NATO traditionally views these maneuvers as a show of force by Moscow and its ally Minsk. This year’s drills come amid heightened tensions between Russia and the Western alliance.
The visit by US military personnel marks another signal of cautious rapprochement between Minsk and Washington. Just last week, US administration representative John Cole was in Minsk discussing the normalization of diplomatic relations, the possible release of political prisoners, and sanctions — including measures affecting the Belarusian airline Belavia.