U.S., NATO believe Belarus could "soon" join Russia's war against Ukraine

U.S. and NATO officials say there are indications that Belarus is taking steps to join the war Russia is waging against Ukraine.

It is increasingly "likely" that Belarus will enter the conflict, a NATO military official said on Monday. "(Russian President Vladimir) Putin needs support. Anything would help," the official explained, according to CNN.

A Belarusian opposition source said that Belarusian combat units are ready to move into Ukraine in the next few days, with thousands of forces prepared to deploy. In the source's opinion, this would have less of an impact militarily than it will geopolitically, given the implications of another nation joining the war.

A senior NATO intelligence official said separately that the alliance assesses that the Belarusian government "is preparing the environment to justify a Belarusian offensive against Ukraine."

The NATO military official said that a final decision for Belarus' involvement in the war still has to be made in Moscow, as of yet there has been no indication that Belarusian forces are participating in the fighting in Ukraine.

"It is not about what Lukashenko wants," the official explained. "The question is: does Putin want another unstable country in the region?"

"Involvement would destabilize Belarus," the official said.

The official wouldn't elaborate on how Belarus could intervene in the war, but said it made sense for Russia to try and cut off NATO military aid coming into Ukraine from its Western border.