Belarus and China join forces in a military drill near the Polish border

Associated Press

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus is hosting Chinese troops for joint military drills near the Polish border, the first such exercise that reflects growing defense ties between the two countries. The 11-day counter-terrorism exercise named Eagle Assault 2024 began on Monday, ahead of NATO’s summit in Washington on Tuesday. The drill is being held at a shooting range in the Brest region close to the border with NATO member Poland. Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled the country of 9.5 million with an iron hand for three decades, has relied on close ties with his main sponsor and ally, Russia, and also sought to forge increasingly close relations with China.