MINSK, December 26. /TASS/. In an interview with state television, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said he believes that NATO is genuinely preparing for war, not just posturing.

The top defense official described the situation on the country’s western borders as difficult. "We see this in the actions taken by the leaders of our neighboring countries, who refuse to acknowledge the need to de-escalate military tensions," he said. "They see Russia as a threat, of course, together with Belarus — we are the Union State. They will fight us," Khrenin pointed out, highlighting that there are countries in Europe that are building stronger armies, Poland being one of them. "The German leadership has recently distinguished itself. They also say: we want to build a powerful army. It is somewhat reminiscent of the situation in the run-up to World War II," the minister noted.

"Who will claim regional leadership here? Will it be the Poles or the Germans? The French also want to be top dog. The Baltic states are right on their heels with their assertive leadership. They are taking action, particularly with regard to financial allocations. They are allocating more than 5% of their GDP, which indicates that they are preparing for war. Therefore, we believe these are not empty words or a bluff by these politicians, but rather, they are truly preparing for war," the top defense official emphasized.

According to Khrenin, this is further evidenced by infrastructure being built in countries neighboring Belarus, the numerous drills and training sessions being conducted, and the modernization of seaports and airfields for the delivery of weapons. In addition, massive purchases of weapons involving significant financial resources are taking place. "The Poles plan to purchase up to 1,000 tanks and up to 32 F-35 fighter jets, which is a modern, very good aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons and striking targets. HIMARS MLRS systems are also formidable weapons. They are developing artillery and creating new divisions," he said.

Thus, according to the minister, NATO countries are preparing for military action in advance. "Various dates are being mentioned. We have also heard them in the media. The defense minister of the country that started two world wars referred to some analysts, saying that we had lived in peace for almost the entire last summer. How can one look at this calmly?" the top defense official pointed out.

Speaking at the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) summit in November, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that Western politicians are intentionally preparing for war by continuing to supply Ukraine with weapons. He also said that military risks and threats are growing on the CSTO’s western flank, and that the situation is similar to a fortress being besieged, pointing out that these are the conditions under which Belarus is living today.