US military officers observed joint Russian-Belarusian war games on Monday, according to a report by Reuters.
Russia and Belarus launched the Zapad-2025 drills on Friday at training grounds in both countries. Belarus’s Defence Ministry highlighted the American presence as unexpected, saying representatives from 23 countries attended, including NATO members Turkey and Hungary.
Video released by the ministry showed two US officers thanking Belarusian Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin, who invited them to observe freely. “Whatever you want. You can go there and see, talk to people,” Khrenin told them. The officers declined to speak to reporters.
The visit comes as former US President Donald Trump seeks closer ties with Belarus, a key Russian ally. Last week, Trump envoy John Coale met President Alexander Lukashenko, who released 52 prisoners, including opposition figures, under a US-brokered deal.
Although the leaders of Lithuania, which was also involved in the deal, claimed the release was not tied to sanctions relief, Washington announced on the same day that it was lifting sanctions on the state airline Belavia, allowing it to service its Boeing fleet.
Trump, who has positioned himself as a mediator in the Ukraine war, has signalled interest in reopening the US Embassy in Minsk and reviving trade ties.
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