Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
A European statement issued in Brussels on Wednesday evening said, "The European Union is closely following the joint strategic military exercise "Zapad-2025," which is being held on the territory of Belarus and Russia for the first time since the start of Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The statement issued by the office of European Foreign and Security Policy Coordinator Kaya Kallas read, "In light of Russia's continued aggressive war against Ukraine, and following repeated violations of our Member States' airspace by Russian drones, an exercise like Zapad-2025 does not demonstrate a commitment to de-escalation and peace.
The military participation of other countries in Zapad-2025, in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine, including from Belarus, is a serious security concern for the European Union.
The European Union expects Russia and Belarus to fully comply with their international obligations, including the 2011 Vienna Document of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
The statement concluded by saying, "The European Union remains vigilant regarding any potential security threats surrounding the ZAPAD-2025 project.