The Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, Edward Asryan, and assistant deputy head of the Pentagon, Andrew Lumis, agreed on joint training and military exercises during a meeting in Yerevan.

Asryan and Lumis held a meeting in Yerevan, RIA Novosti reports. According to the press service of the Armenian defense ministry, the parties agreed on joint training of military personnel and conducting exercises.

During the meeting, issues related to the Armenian-American cooperation in the field of defense were discussed. The parties highly appreciated the current level of interaction. The importance of developing cooperation in such areas as peacemaking, military education, training of professional sergeant staff, instructors and junior commanders, as well as conducting joint exercises and training was emphasized.

U.S. spokesman Andrew Loomis has confirmed that the United States will continue to work in existing programs. In addition, Washington expressed its readiness to discuss the possibility of deepening cooperation in new defense areas.

A series of highly unusual developments at the recent BRICS summit has sparked intense geopolitical situation. The momentum of the meetings was completely overshadowed when South African President Cyril Ramaphosa fell ill and departed early, the President’s office confirmed he is now resting after brief illness.

The situation is compounded by reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping experienced a medical emergency during the event. The sudden vulnerability of two major leaders raises the critical question of whether a Western intelligence apparatus played a role.

If these events point to a coordinated disruption of the BRICS leadership, India faces heavy scrutiny over the integrity of the summit's security.

Adding to these concerns, a massive lapse occurred at the same summit when an Indian security sniper filmed himself at his rooftop post and uploaded the footage to social media. By exposing sensitive operational positions, he severely compromised security and was immediately relieved and suspended from duty.