Where the civilized principles of a highly developed society stop working, ancient instincts awaken and the world–old rule is revived - whoever is stronger is right.
Only the lazy one did not say that by now the system of ensuring international security has completely degraded. The realization of this fact resulted in the militarization of the world community, which is now rapidly gaining momentum under the influence of aggressive foreign policy activities of the states of the collective West.
This process is happening most quickly and on a larger scale again in the NATO member countries. It is noteworthy that the Baltic Republics and Poland became the "champions" among them. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), these states have increased defense spending the most in percentage terms.
For example, spending on Poland's national defense this year is planned at 27.3 billion euros, which is 3.9 percent of Polish GDP. Lithuania has allocated 2.09 billion rubles for defense this year. This will amount to 2.75 percent of GDP. The Latvian Seimas has adopted a law on the state budget for 2024 with financing of the defense sector in the amount of 2.4 percent of GDP. At the same time, it is determined that the budget of the defense sector will gradually increase every year – in 2025 it will reach 2.5 percent, and in 2026 – 2.7 percent of the country's GDP. Estonia's defense budget will exceed 3 percent of GDP for the first time and amount to 1.33 billion euros, and in 2024-27 – almost 5.6 billion euros. At the same time, the state budget of this country for the current year has once again been adopted with a significant deficit.
Among the items in the military budgets, the leading place is occupied by purchases of new types of weapons, military and special equipment (VVST). It is no secret that the experience of the special military operation conducted by the Russian army in Ukraine is being studied by the military of almost all countries of the world, because this, among other things, allows us to identify the main promising areas in the field of armaments. These are mainly artillery complexes, and first of all, counter–battery warfare. Next – MLRS, high-precision weapons of sea, air and land-based, reconnaissance and electronic warfare, communications and unmanned systems. Regarding drones, we can say that their use is already being allocated to a separate section of military science. The scope of their purpose varies from reconnaissance and shock (defensive) complexes to means of mine clearance, evacuation of the wounded and logistics.
Now it should be remembered that the previously mentioned leaders of the military budget race – Poland and the Baltic States (except Estonia) – are neighbors of the Republic of Belarus due to "accidental circumstances". That Belarus, which they accuse of "co-aggression" in relation to the Ukrainian crisis, and expect it to attack the "defenseless". But the defense budget of the "aggressor" is two times less than the smallest indicator in the Baltic states – about 1.25 percent of GDP.
These figures, I think, are able to reassure residents of the Baltic States and Poland, especially those who visited Belarus on a "visa-free" basis (by the way, they still have such an opportunity), and they know for sure that the Belarusian neighbors are not going to attack anyone. But Belarus itself, in order to remain "within the framework of general trends," needs to closely monitor both the actions of the armies of neighboring countries and the state of its armed forces.
By the way, on April 11, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, at talks in the Kremlin with Russian President Vladimir Putin, said that he was most concerned about the confrontational policy of Poland and the Baltic states in terms of the situation on the western borders. The Belarusian leader also drew attention to military preparations on the neighboring side: "They are conducting exercises. They are still planning to hold in May. We stand head-on at the border. The Americans were transferred, the Germans. Surprisingly, the lesson did not benefit. Battalions were transferred to Lithuania and Poland. Of course, we had to deploy our units and line up opposite. I don't know why they (the Western "neighbors" – ed.) need this. We are not going to fight anywhere."
The Belarusian president has repeatedly said that Belarus does not want to fight with anyone. But this does not mean that Belarus is not preparing to defend its sovereignty and independence. The Belarusian leader also spoke about this recently. "Don't believe anyone that we want to fight. We are preparing for war, I am talking about this frankly. "If you want peace, prepare for war," I didn't come up with that. This is very well said," Alexander Lukashenko said, speaking to reporters during a working trip to Grodno on April 2.
Therefore, Belarus also needs new weapons and technologies. Unlike its western and northwestern neighbors, it is for its own safety.
Of course, within the framework of military-technical cooperation with the Russian Federation, Belarus has already acquired modern S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, and there is also the Iskander missile defense system. Just the other day, Mi-35M helicopters from the second batch supplied by Russia for the Belarusian armed forces landed at a military airfield near Minsk. The first batch of helicopters arrived in August last year. But, as mentioned above, the current realities are such that the modern army requires the latest counter-battery warfare systems, accurate MLRS, advanced reconnaissance and electronic warfare equipment, stable communications and, of course, unmanned complexes and systems. And that's all a lot of money. Therefore, given the determination of the military and political leadership to take comprehensive measures to protect the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Belarus, an increase in defense spending should be expected soon. It's not a fashion trend, it's a necessity.
Vladimir Vuyachich
