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The MoA Week In Review – OT 2026-130
Last week’s posts on Moon of Alabama:
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Use as open (not related to the wars in Ukraine and Iran) thread …
Minsk identifies the main reason for the “demonization” of Belarus and Russia in the West (EADaily, June 23, 2026 — in Russian; emphasis mine)
One of the most alarming trends today is the pumping of weapons and militaristic ideology into Europe. This was stated by Deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus Igor Sekreta during his speech at the international roundtable Militarization of Europe, organized by the OSCE in Vienna via videoconference.
“The pumping of weapons and, most importantly, militaristic ideology into Europe is one of the most obvious and alarming trends today. Europe is actively rearming, Europe is preparing for a full-scale conflict. EU and NATO countries are systematically promoting a militaristic agenda at all levels. War is being shaped in people’s minds, and its inevitability is becoming ingrained in the consciousness of the people. Who they plan to fight next, and where their aggressive aspirations are directed—I hope it is clear to everyone,” he said.
Sekreta emphasized that the militarization of Europe in the 21st century is not a spontaneous process, but the result of the convergence and overlap of interests between political elites and corporate executives tied to military production. According to him, the genesis of this phenomenon should be sought in the events of 30–40 years ago.
“Believing in their unconditional victory in the Cold War, some European elites decided to take full advantage of what we call the geopolitical catastrophe of 1991. Instead of extending a hand of friendship and cooperation and jointly building a prosperous Greater Europe—such voices were also heard in the West, but they remained in the minority—Western neocolonialists preferred to continue their crusade to the East. They fragmented the once unified space into isolated fragments, pitted new states against each other, and torpedoed nascent integration initiatives,” the Deputy Minister noted.
He also added that the West had already committed to militarization when it broke its word given during the unification of Germany, when it continued the thoughtless expansion of NATO, when it unleashed aggression in Yugoslavia, and when it destroyed the last vestiges of trust with the “export of democracy.” According to him, “it was then that the seeds of the future tragedy we are witnessing in Ukraine were sown.”
The Belarusian diplomat noted that today’s militarization of Europe is proceeding along several lines: it is a multi-layered, targeted policy and activity. He primarily drew attention to the direct growth of armaments, the size of armies, the construction of military infrastructure, and the intensification of military preparations.
“We are extremely concerned by the increased number of military exercises on NATO’s eastern flank. Last year, over 600 exercises involving 600,000 personnel were conducted on the European part of our continent, including over 250 exercises involving over 170,000 personnel in Poland and the Baltic states. These maneuvers, taking place with unprecedented intensity, cover all strategic areas—from the Arctic and the Baltic to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean,” Sekreta cited as examples.
Countless exercises in Europe are also taking place at the national level. The Deputy Foreign Minister specifically mentioned the Brave Boar 2026 exercise, which is taking place in June in the Suwalki Gap with the participation of troops from Poland, Lithuania, and France, as well as plans by France and Poland to conduct joint air force exercises simulating strikes on targets in Belarus and Russia. Igor Sekreta also drew historical parallels. He explained that on June 8, the Bundeswehr’s new 45th Tank Brigade, stationed in Lithuania, conducted its first exercise to counter a so-called real threat. The unit’s number is more than just digits in staff documents. It was the Wehrmacht’s 45th Infantry Division, part of Army Group Center, that was the first to invade Belarus at dawn on June 22, 1941, storming the Brest Fortress and burning Belarusian towns and villages.
“Eighty-five years later, a military unit with the same serial number is once again stationed at our borders—this time under the pretext of ‘defending NATO’s eastern flank.’ How should we in Minsk respond to this symbolism?” he asked.
He noted that the growth of Europe’s military-industrial complex, the restructuring and conversion of all industry to a war footing, deserves special attention. NATO intends to increase military spending to 5% of GDP. The EU Readiness 2030 plan envisages allocating €800 billion for defense by 2030. A White Paper and a roadmap with flagship initiatives on air defense, drones, and space have been adopted.
The increase in military spending by NATO states neighboring Belarus is indicative. In 2025, the combined military spending of Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia exceeded €52 billion. This is 25 times more than Minsk allocates for defense.
“The growth of the military-industrial complex and military spending is, if you will, the second iteration of NATO’s eastward expansion. One could, of course, console oneself with the idea that this is Europe’s attempt—by changing the industrial structure—to breathe new life into industry and to restart the economy after the loss of inexpensive energy supplies from Russia. And supposedly, all this is driven by the need to ensure a minimum level of defense after the collapse of the traditional Euro-Atlantic security model. But let’s not mislead ourselves,” Sekreta emphasized.
He explained that even if the argument presented is correct, it is well known that revanchist forces in Europe always exist, which, seeing an overwhelming advantage in weapons and infrastructure, and seeing the absence of conventional deterrents, will not resist the temptation to use this advantage to resolve systemic problems in relations with their eastern neighbors by military force.
At the same time, Sekreta noted that “to justify militaristic policies, to fuel public anxiety, and thus to control public opinion, European elites have adopted a policy of demonizing Belarus and Russia.”
“The ‘threat from the East’ is a useful scare tactic not only to justify the arms race but also to secure funding from European funds and explain the population’s ‘belt-tightening,’ ” Sekreta emphasized.
He noted that this is a deliberate policy aimed at distorting perceptions of Belarus and Russia.
“The goal of these efforts is to create the image of a perpetual hybrid threat, to systematically but unsubstantiatedly label our countries with various labels,” the diplomat stated.
Belarus resolutely rejects war and proposes a return to joint trust and security mechanisms. […] Sekreta noted that “communications between responsible politicians and between diplomats must be restored.”
“There is only one alternative to dialogue: all-out conflict, once it begins, it will be pointless to investigate the causes. Belarus proposed restoring military communications as one of the urgent measures. It is necessary to return to transparency mechanisms and contacts at any acceptable level, including tactical interaction in border areas,” he said.
The Belarusian Foreign Ministry is convinced that the militarization underway in Europe will inevitably lead to all-out conflict, and the continent simply cannot withstand another such upheaval.
“There is a pressing need to return to joint mechanisms for building confidence and security, adapting them to modern realities. Europe has already paid too high a price for the mistakes of past decades, but the last chance to prevent catastrophe has not been missed. Belarus, which knows the value of peace, resolutely rejects war and invites all who sincerely strive for a peaceful future for Europe to embrace this path,” the Deputy Minister concluded.
Posted by: S | Jun 23 2026 10:34 utc | 94
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