Zelenskyy: Russia is "preparing something" in Belarus this summer and will hide behind military exercises
In a speech at the Three Seas Summit, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for attention to Russia's preparations for new aggression against other countries, including Poland.
According to Censor.NET, the text of the President's speech was published on the website of the Presidential Administration.
"And look at Belarus - this summer Russia is preparing something there, hiding behind military exercises. This is how its new attacks usually begin. But where this time? I don't know. Ukraine? Lithuania? Poland? God forbid! But we all have to be prepared. All our institutions are open to cooperation," he said.
The President thanked all those present who support Ukraine and its diplomatic efforts.
"The whole of Europe, especially our region bordering Russia, must speak with one voice. We all want Europe and the United States to remain strong partners. We all want this war to end justly - without any rewards for Putin, and especially without a single piece of land.
And we all need to keep up the pressure on Russia - everyone can do their part to help us achieve a full and unconditional ceasefire as soon as possible - at least for 30 days. This is what can lay the foundation for real, effective diplomacy," Zelenskyy added.
What is known about the Zapad exercise?
The Zapad exercise is scheduled for September 2025, with the official goals of practicing joint defensive and offensive actions, improving the interaction of the armed forces, and testing the readiness of the military for various security scenarios.
The most recent Zapad-2021 exercise, which involved more than 200,000 people, was the largest maneuvers in the western direction since the collapse of the USSR and was part of the preparations for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Zapad has been held every two years since 2009.
