Two Ukrainian verifiers will leave for Belarus to monitor the military exercise West 2017 on the invitation of Belarus, according to a statement of the Office of Public Relations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, published on the page of the General Staff of the Armed Forces on Facebook on August 23.
“The Ukrainian side confirms the fact of inviting Ukrainian representatives to observe the military drills West 2017, which are to be held on the territory of the Republic of Belarus with the participation of the Russian Federation troops. According to the Verification Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, two Ukrainian verifiers will observe the course of the exercises at the invitation of the Belarusian side in the period from September 16 to September 20,” the message says.
“In accordance with the provisions of the Vienna Document 2011 on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures, Ukraine received an official invitation from the Republic of Belarus for the participation of two representatives of the Armed Forces in monitoring military activities during the practical actions of troops (forces) in the framework of the joint strategic exercise West-2017 on the territory of the Republic of Belarus from September 16 until September 20, 2017,” the Ukrainian verifiers said.
In addition to Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Sweden and Estonia were invited to observe the West 2017 exercise.
