Belarus, China to expand defence cooperation with new initiatives

Belarus and China are set to enhance their collaboration in the defence sector and explore new avenues of joint interaction.

Belarusian Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin shared this information with China Central Television, Caliber.Az reports.

He noted that discussions with his Chinese counterpart from the People's Liberation Army focused on expanding their existing defence cooperation, which currently includes peacekeeping, training, and joint combat exercises. However, Khrenin emphasized that these activities are only the beginning and that further details on new cooperation areas will be disclosed once they are fully developed.

Khrenin highlighted that the defence relationship between Belarus and China is currently strong and that both countries are looking to deepen their partnership further. Specific new initiatives and activities are still under consideration and will be revealed in due course.

On the topic of the Ukraine conflict, Khrenin asserted that genuine peace negotiations require independent mediators. He criticized previous efforts, such as the Istanbul talks, for lacking neutrality, which he believes is crucial for meaningful dialogue.

According to Khrenin, conflicts ultimately require negotiation to resolve, and the sooner talks begin, the fewer casualties there will be. However, he stressed that effective negotiations necessitate equal conditions for all parties involved, which has not been observed thus far.