China and Belarus began joint military exercises on Monday, just a few miles from the border of NATO-member Poland, ahead of the alliance’s summit.

The drills, named Falcon Assault, will run until July 19 at a training ground near Brest, southwest Belarus, close to the Polish border.

Major General Vadim Denisenko, chief of Belarusian special operations command, noted the global unrest and the need to practice new tactical methods.

Meanwhile, NATO leaders are meeting in Washington to discuss further support for Ukraine, Reuters has reported.

Belarus previously allowed Russia to use its territory for the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Written by B.C. Begley