"During a meeting of the CSTO Defense Ministers Council the Belarusian defense minister said that the parties have changed the parameters of the Zapad 2025 exercise and moved it inland. What does this mean? How have the parameters changed? First of all, the number of troops participating in the exercise will be almost halved. This means that the exercise is not subject to mandatory observation under the Vienna Document. Still Belarus will notify all states of the exercise and its parameters. We also intend to organize the observation of the exercise so that everyone could make sure that it is really defensive in nature and see the site where it is held," Valery Revenko said.
He also added that Poland and other NATO member states did not want to specify the parameters of the Zapad 2025 exercise. “They do not want a dialogue. They have not responded to our invitation which would allow them to see the exercise, the elements we practice, the number of troops involved and our compliance with all agreements,” the assistant minister stressed.
