US military observers attended joint war games conducted by Russia and Belarus on Monday, the first time Washington has done so since Moscow used Belarus as an entryway for its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and a further sign of US President Donald Trump’s efforts to strengthen ties with Vladimir Putin‘s loyalist ally.
The presence of US officers, less than a week after Poland shot down Russian drones crossing its airspace, is further evidence of Washington seeking to improve relations with Belarus.
Last week, Trump’s representative John Coale was in Minsk, signifying the Trump administration’s desire to reopen the US embassy there to normalise ties and revive trade.
Some Western foreign policy analysts speculate Trump could be looking to exploit President Alexander Lukashenko‘s close ties with Putin to promote a deal to end the war in Ukraine.
At least two US military officers – Air Force Lt. Col. Brian Shoupe, a US embassy defence attaché, plus another unidentified officer – were among those observing the “Zapad-2025” war games. Also present was the Russian Deputy Defence Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov. According to a Belarusian defence statement, 23 countries in all were represented — among them NATO member states Turkey and Hungary, as well as China, Ethiopia and Indonesia.
The exercise, which has been taking place in both countries to test and demonstrate their combat readiness, did little to quell the unease of some neighbouring countries mindful of last week’s drone incursion into Poland and the fact that Warsaw has temporarily closed its border with Belarus as a precaution.
Trump, who suggested that the drone incursion may have been by mistake, last week lifted sanctions on Belarus’s national airline. The move allows Belavia to service and buy components for its fleet, which includes Boeing aircraft.
This comes after Lukashenko agreed to free 52 prisoners, including journalists and political opponents.
