Politics
Ten European countries, including the United Kingdom and France, have announced large-scale multinational joint military exercises in Poland as part of their efforts to support Ukraine.
Ten European countries, including the United Kingdom and France, have announced large-scale multinational joint military exercises in Poland as part of their efforts to support Ukraine. The exercises will take place from November 9 to 22 in southeastern Poland, near the Ukrainian border, with approximately 2,800 military personnel from the ten countries expected to participate. According to a joint statement issued by France’s Ministry of Defense, the exercises, named “Kwalifikacja” (meaning “solidarity” in Polish), are primarily intended to assess how quickly, effectively and in a coordinated manner participating countries could deploy their land, naval and air forces to support Ukraine following a possible end to the war.
British Defense Minister Wes Streeting stressed that this was not merely hypothetical planning but the practical preparation of an actual force that would provide security and support to Ukraine as soon as the fighting ends. The exercises will be jointly led by British Lieutenant General Tom Bateman and French General Armel Dirou. In addition to 1,100 French and 300 British troops, military contingents from Belgium, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden will take part. The ground and air operations will be conducted in the town of Nowa Dęba, located 100 kilometers west of the Ukrainian border. Officials clarified that the force is not being established for an offensive mission, but rather to help rebuild Ukraine’s armed forces and deter possible future Russian aggression.
