Belarus, Kazakhstan strengthen defense ties with 2026 cooperation plan
2 Min Read
Belarus and Kazakhstan signed a 2026 military cooperation plan to enhance bilateral defense coordination and strengthen joint security efforts within the CIS framework.
-
A bilateral meeting took place between Belarusian Defense Minister Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin and Kazakh Defense Minister Lieutenant General Dauren Kossanov (X, @MOD_BY)
Belarus and Kazakhstan have agreed to deepen their military collaboration by signing a joint Plan of Military Cooperation for 2026, the Belarusian Defense Ministry announced on Thursday.
Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin arrived in Kazakhstan earlier in the day to participate in the Council of Defense Ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). On the sidelines of the session, Khrenin held a bilateral meeting with Kazakhstan's Defense Minister Dauren Kossanov.
According to the Belarusian Defense Ministry, the two sides "discussed key areas of cooperation on issues of mutual interest ... Following the negotiations, the Belarusian Defense Ministry and the Kazakh Defense Ministry signed a military cooperation plan for 2026."
Khrenin described the defense partnership between Minsk and Astana as "fruitfully developing," noting the growing scope of collaboration in the military sphere.
The ministry shared footage of the meeting and affirmed that the agreement strengthens coordination between the two allied states within the CIS framework while also reinforcing their long-term commitment to joint security initiatives across the post-Soviet region.
Состоялась двусторонняя встреча министра обороны Беларуси генерал-лейтенанта Виктора Хренина с министром обороны Казахстана генерал-лейтенантом Дауреном Косановым.
— Минобороны Беларуси (@MOD_BY) October 30, 2025
Видео и фото: Павел Гузич, «ВоенТВ»
Подробнее 👉 https://t.co/pP0IqY6jBq pic.twitter.com/LcLEjPg6zN
CIS Alignment
The new defense plan comes amid rising tensions between Russia and NATO-aligned states in Europe. Just days earlier, Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Director Sergei Naryshkin warned that European members of NATO are "preparing for war with our country," citing expanded weapons production, mobilization exercises, and intensified nuclear deterrence drills across the continent.
Naryshkin's remarks, delivered at a CIS security meeting in Samarkand, reflected Moscow's broader view that NATO's rearmament efforts represent a direct threat to regional stability. His warning coincides with Germany's plans to acquire additional F-35 fighter jets, NATO's Steadfast Noon nuclear drills, and the United Kingdom's new air defense measures, all of which have contributed to a deepening East-West military divide.
Against this backdrop, the Belarus-Kazakhstan accord underscores a parallel trend within the CIS: closer coordination among post-Soviet allies seeking to bolster defense readiness and strategic autonomy as Europe accelerates its military buildup.
Read more: Saab to build Ukraine assembly line as Sweden advances Gripen deal
