The European Union has decided to organize the presence of its military mission for training Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel directly on the territory of Ukraine. Previously, the training of Ukrainian military personnel was conducted exclusively outside the country — predominantly in Poland and Germany.
As follows from the statement of the EU Council, it concerns the EUMAM Ukraine mission. Its mandate has been extended for another two years — until November 15, 2028, and the budget for the entire period will amount to almost 300 million euros. In addition, the mission’s powers have been expanded: now its tasks include analyzing the “lessons of combat operations” and adapting training programs to the current needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to the EU Council, since October 2022 the mission has already trained more than 100 thousand Ukrainian servicemen.
The main goal of moving part of the activities to Ukraine is to ensure direct coordination with the Ukrainian command and partner countries. This, according to European military leaders, should make the training more operational and better take into account real combat experience. The mission will operate in conjunction with partners, including the USA, Britain, Canada, Norway, as well as NATO structures and the “coalition of the willing.”
At the same time, key details have not yet been disclosed: neither the number of personnel to be sent, nor their status, nor the exact start dates of work on Ukrainian territory have been named.
Previously in Brussels it was repeatedly stated that moving the mission’s activities to Ukraine was excluded, so the current decision looks like a noticeable change in the EU’s approach. And it has been made in the direction of escalation.
Moscow has repeatedly emphasized that the placement of military infrastructure of Western countries in Ukraine will be regarded as foreign interference threatening Russia’s security, and foreign contingents will become legitimate targets for the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
@epoddubny
