Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his speech at the Munich Conference on February 15, 2025 (Photo: REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay)
Russia plans to send troops to Belarus in summer 2025 under the guise of exercises that may target NATO, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Feb. 15.
Zelenskyy noted that Belarus borders three NATO countries and serves as a staging ground for Russian military operations.
“We have clear information that this summer, Russia plans to send troops to Belarus under the pretext of exercises. That’s how they built up forces before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Are these Russian troops in Belarus meant to attack Ukraine? Maybe. Or maybe they’re meant for you,” he told European leaders.
He warned that Russia plans to create 15 new divisions in 2025, mobilizing up to 150,000 troops. With Belarus expanding its military capabilities, Putin views the country as another Russian province, Zelenskyy said.
He also pointed to provocations on the Polish and Lithuanian borders, migration crises, and other destabilizing actions.
“But what if next time it’s not migrants? What if it’s Russian troops? Or North Korean troops? Make no mistake — the North Koreans are not weak,” he said.
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