Russia ratifies protocol to agreement with Belarus on joint regional security

The document was approved by the Russian State Duma on 5 December. Thus, the Russian parliament finalized the ratification of the protocol.

The protocol was signed in Minsk on 3 December 2022. Belarus completed the necessary ratification procedures on the document in late June 2023.

Presenting the document to the senators, First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security Vladimir Chizhov said that the agreement was aimed at taking practical measures to combine efforts in the development of a common defense and security space of Belarus and Russia. The amendments stipulated by the protocol update the content of the preamble, clarify the terminology. It also introduces the concept of “the regional grouping functioning”.

The protocol regulates the implementation of the provisions of regulatory legal documents of bilateral cooperation within the framework of ensuring military security of the Union State, as well as the procedure for joint planning, application of the regional grouping of troops (forces), financing of joint measures of operational, mobilization and combat training.

Vladimir Chizhov emphasized that the implementation of the protocol would contribute to the further development of bilateral Belarusian-Russian military cooperation, and also to the strengthening of peace, security, and stability in the Eastern European region.