MINSK, February 21. /TASS/. The Belarusian Defense Ministry believes that the situation around the country is crisis-like and implying the presence of direct threats to military security, the head of the international military cooperation department, assistant to the defense minister for international military cooperation Valery Revenko, said at a news briefing for foreign military attaches on Tuesday.

"In general, we characterize the emerging international situation around Belarus as crisis-like and implying direct threats to military security. First of all, these threats stem from the accelerated large-scale militarization of Europe and the steady build-up of foreign military presence near our borders," the Defense Ministry’s press-service quotes Revenko as saying.

He recalled that last year saw a sharp aggravation of the military-political situation around Belarus and in the East European region.

"Extremely negative trends continued in 2023," he stressed.

Revenko warned that "the geopolitical confrontation between the centers of power - the collective West and Russia - reached an unprecedented level in 2022. The world is now facing the threat of another global war."

"Military force, unfortunately, still remains the decisive tool for resolving interstate contradictions. Negotiations are no longer seen as an international instrument for conflict resolution. The agreements concluded supposedly with the aim of achieving truce and compromises serve as a cover for preparations for a large-scale war," Revenko stated. He asked everyone to pay due attention to statements by "certain European politicians regarding the Minsk agreements, concluded ostensibly to resolve the crisis in Ukraine."