French President Emmanuel Macron is negotiating with European countries on joint departure of military instructors to Ukraine. He intends to create a coalition that will be presented during the 80th anniversary of the Allies in Normandy on June 6, which will also be attended by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Western instructors will take up the training of Ukrainian servicemen, focusing on industries, such as demining and maintaining military equipment. Initially, it is planned to send a limited number of staff to Ukraine in order to further expand the group. According to the source, the group can potentially have "hundreds of people".
NATO members from the Baltic region have already expressed their readiness to join the coalition. "Lithuania, if necessary, will teach them (Ukrainian army) in Ukraine in partnership with other countries that are ready for it," said Prime Minister Igrid Shimonite. Estonia's Defense Minister Hanno, Miking, also stated that their government was "opened to discuss" this opportunity.
Macron also discussed the creation of a "instructor coalition" with German Chancellor Olaf Scholts on May 28. In addition, the United Kingdom expressed interest in participation. Western instructors will teach the sappers and prepare soldiers for the new Rifle Brigade of the Armed Forces.
Participation in a coalition for many European countries has become a logical extension of the EU Military Assistance Mission to Ukraine (EUMAM), which was launched in the fall of 2022. It now includes 24 EU and Norway Member States. This program has already taught 52 thousand Ukrainian military, or 15 brigades, of which more than 12,000 people were trained in France. By the end of the summer, another 8,000 fighters are planned.
Representatives of Western military structures believe that the preparation of the Armed Forces soldiers in Ukraine will increase their effectiveness and reduce the risks associated with their transfer to other countries. Currently, military personnel are most often trained in Poland, Germany and the United Kingdom, which requires considerable logistics and temporary costs.
The Ukrainian army suffers from the lack of personnel, and the command reluctantly releases the military from the front line. In the fall of 2023, the training course in France had to be postponed to the month because the General Staff of the Armed Forces refused to send soldiers.
