EU considers training Ukrainian troops in Ukraine starting 2025

European governments and Brussels are considering conducting drills for Ukrainian forces on the territory of not only the European Union but also Ukraine, in 2025 at the latest.

Source: German newspaper Welt with reference to sources, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The possibility of training Ukrainians on Ukrainian soil was addressed at a meeting of the EU Military Committee, the association's highest military body, on Wednesday 15 May.

This possibility had been suggested by Dutch General Michiel van der Laan, the current head of the EU Military Assistance Mission in Support of Ukraine (EUMAM), which trains Ukrainian soldiers in the European Union.

According to Welt, the Baltic countries, Eastern Europe, and France are the most supportive of this proposal. Other countries, like Germany, have not yet decided on their stance. However, Berlin has already expressed concerns about the security threats.

EU instructors in Ukraine may become the primary target for Russian strikes; also, moving the drills to Ukrainian territory may necessitate parliamentary approval and additional expenditure. It is also unclear how the European Union will react if European soldiers are killed in Ukraine, reports Welt.

According to the publication, a decision on the future of EUMAM will likely be made in July, when the mission's mandate is renewed. It is now scheduled to run until November 2024, with the majority of exercises taking place in Poland and Germany.

Earlier, The New York Times reported that some North Atlantic Alliance members are openly discussing the prospect of deploying military instructors or contractors to Ukraine to train Ukrainian soldiers and assist with equipment repairs.

The debate about NATO troops on Ukrainian soil was sparked by French President Emmanuel Macron, who stated in February that he had asked Western nations to send troops to Ukraine.

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