Russian Defense Minister: We continue to form a single defense space with Belarus

A meeting of the military departments of Belarus and Russia is taking place in Minsk.

The defense ministries of Belarus and Russia will make decisions on joint defense policy and expanding cooperation.

During the event, both Viktor Khrenin and Andrei Belousov made a number of loud statements. For example, Russia's state policy, adapted to the new realities, allows for the possibility of using nuclear weapons in response to aggression against Belarus.

The event was opened by Viktor Khrenin. In his speech, the Minister of Defense of our country drew the attention of his colleagues to the fact that strategic cooperation between Belarus and Russia is successfully developing in various areas. At the same time, integration in ensuring security, of course, plays a decisive role.

Viktor Khrenin, Minister of Defense of Belarus:

"In this difficult period of global confrontation between the West and the East, we will continue to maintain the achieved level of cooperation, its further development and deepening for preserving the sovereignty and independence of our states. Joint solution of problems in the military sphere is the basis of stability not only for our countries, but also an important factor in strategic containment of threats to the organization of the collective security treaty."

Since 2018, this is the first meeting in Belarus in this format. But this is not the first time that Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov has been here in Minsk. Since May 2024, he has already held the status of minister, and this is his third visit to the Belarusian capital.

Addressing his colleagues, Andrei Belousov noted that since the Cold War, there has not been such unprecedented pressure from the collective West on our countries.

"Changes in the military-political situation have necessitated the clarification of the principles of the Russian Federation's state policy in the field of nuclear deterrence and its adaptation to new realities. This includes the possibility of using nuclear weapons in response to aggression against Belarus, as a member of the Union State. Currently, the preparation of an agreement between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation on guarantees of military security and a new concept of security for Russia and Belarus is being completed," said Andrei Belousov, Minister of Defense of Russia. "We continue to form a single defense space with the Belarusian side. We are improving cooperation on issues of joint use of armed forces to ensure the military security of the Union of our countries."

On October 23, Viktor Khrenin said that the General Staffs of Belarus and Russia had begun joint preparations for the Zapad 2025 exercise. This will be the main event of the joint training of the armed forces of Belarus and Russia. Of course, it will create conditions for further improvement of the security system of the Union State.