President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia and Belarus are again in talks about holding joint military exercises on Belarusian territory, warning that this poses major risks for both Ukraine and Belarus.
"I know that they are talking about military exercises together with the Russian Federation on the territory of Belarus. Again. We will see how large they will be," Zelenskyy said in an interview with independent Belarusian outlet Dzerkalo.
Zelenskyy drew a direct line between past exercises and the full-scale invasion, recalling that when Russia and Belarus conducted "very massive" drills, the offensive against Ukraine followed.
"And, I believe, major risks for Belarusians," he added, extending his concern beyond Ukraine's borders.
The statement comes against the backdrop of the recent Zapad-2025 Russian-Belarusian exercises, which prompted Poland to fully close its border with Belarus. Lithuania, for its part, extended the closure of part of its airspace along the Belarusian border — initially introduced ahead of the Zapad drills — through 1 December.
