Last week we reported on a slow but progressing US-Belarus detente, after President Aleksandr Lukashenko agreed to release 52 political prisoners to NATO member Lithuania. In return, Washington granted sanctions relief to the country's national airline Belavia. President Trump also issued Lukashenko a warm letter, and even a gift of cufflinks

Ironically this positive momentum between the US and Belarus is happening at a moment the Moscow-allied 'Union State' is hosting joint Russian war games, the "Zapad-2025" drills - also amid soaring tensions with NATO. But another unexpected development has occurred Monday: the Pentagon has sent representatives to observe the war games from Belarusian soil.

US military officers are on hand to observe the war games in what's being described as a surprise visit wherein Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin instructed that the US officials could look at "whatever is of interest for you."

According to a description in Reuters:

"Who would have thought how the morning of another day of the Zapad-2025 exercise would begin?" it [the defense ministry] said in a statement noting their presence among representatives from 23 countries including two other NATO member states — Turkey and Hungary.

The ministry released video showing two uniformed U.S. officers thanking Khrenin for the invitation and shaking his hand. "We will show whatever is of interest for you. Whatever you want. You can go there and see, talk to people," the minister told the Americans, who declined to speak to reporters.

This development is also unprecedented and highly unusual given Belarus has been Moscow's closest partner in executing the 'special military operation' in neighboring Ukraine, having utilized its territory to send tens of thousands of Russian troops into Ukraine in February 2022 and after.

Watch: American greeted by the Belarusian Defense Minister, Viktor Khrenin, who, according to the Belarus MoD, instructed his military to provide "the best seats for American guests, and to show absolutely everything that interests them."

Cross-border drone operations have also at times been reportedly launched from Belarusian territory. There's also the fact that President Putin had previously ordered strategic nuclear weapons to be stationed at Belarusian bases, overseen by Russian military and intelligence officers.

The Zelensky government, as well as his hawkish backers in Europe and among NATO allies, will likely be furious at this news. They will see it as the Trump admin 'colluding' with the enemy amid the standoff with the West.

Importantly, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in fresh remarks Monday painted a picture of NATO and Russia being in a de facto state of war.

"NATO is at war with Russia. It is obvious and does not require any additional proof," he told a press briefing. "NATO is de facto involved in this war. NATO provides both indirect and direct support to the Kiev regime. Therefore, it can be said with absolute certainty that NATO is at war with Russia."

While many among Trump's base have been disappointed that Washington has not yet deescalated its involvement, seeing US colonels in Belarus seems a clear sign that Trump is still serious about seeing it happen. Pentagon officers on hand is largely symbolic, and yet it is resounding, even as US sanctions still exist on the Belarusian government and its military. For now the White House is content with drastically improving its bilateral ties with both Moscow and Minsk, as the war grinds on.