Thousands of European troops are set to participate in a military exercise in Poland later this month LONDON -- Thousands of European troops will take part in a military exercise in Poland this month to prepare for a hypothetical postwar mission in Ukraine to boost the country’s economy and rebuild its armed forces. But some experts say the deployment may never take place. The force's first military exercise, led by Britain and France, is aimed both at testing deployment plans and sending a message to Russia and the Trump administration that European countries are stepping up militarily.
Yet the overall mission is plagued with challenges, including the ongoing fighting, questions over American support and the outcome of the upcoming French elections. Britain and France are both part of a wider political group of 37 nations supporting Ukraine known as the Coalition of the Willing. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly said that in the event of a peace deal, there must be strong security guarantees from Kyiv’s Western allies, including the United States, to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from attacking the country again.
That's where this force could come in. Alongside France and Britain, eight other European nations will deploy 2,800 soldiers to Poland to rehearse transporting people and equipment into Poland, conduct joint command and control drills and fly jets and an aerial refueling tanker in preparation to help Ukraine reopen its skies. If deployed once a ceasefire is in place, the force would help regenerate and strengthen Ukraine’s armed forces, provide the reassurance needed to open the country’s skies and help clear mines in the Black Sea, said Lt.
Tom Bateman, commander of Multinational Force-Ukraine, or MNF-U. Here's a look at the force and the serious challenges it faces. All of the European countries involved in the force say they will only deploy once hostilities cease.
But for that to happen, there needs to be a ceasefire. Peace negotiations stalled earlier this year after U.S. President Donald Trump launched his war with Iran, while in September he said he had done a deal with Russia to supply diesel fuel to the U.S. ahead of the midterm elections in an attempt to lower fuel prices, providing a political and economic boost to the Kremlin.
Trump also called for the removal of Zelenskyy and demanded Kyiv stop striking Russian energy infrastructure. Trump and his officials also offered confusing messages as to why Starshield — which Ukraine uses for drone strikes and air defense — had been throttled. In September, Zelenskyy said the U.S. had failed to provide warning, as it normally did, of incoming Russian ballistic missile attacks.
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