Training of Armed Forces of Ukraine by EU instructors on Ukraine's territory is only a matter of time

Speaking to journalists at an evening of support for victims of violence, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Minister of Justice Olha Stefanishyna said that it was only a matter of time before EU instructors would conduct training missions for Ukrainian soldiers on the territory of Ukraine.

Source: Stefanishyna in an interview with Ukrinform

Details: Stefanishyna said they were talking with European partners about training exercises for the Ukrainian military. She explained that they saw this as an element of equipping Ukrainian brigades, ensuring that the brigades were manned, trained, and equipped accordingly. Stefanishyna expressed her belief that it was only a matter of time before training by European instructors would take place on Ukrainian territory.

She said the training and equipping of more than a dozen Ukrainian brigades is in question, so it is an absolutely pragmatic solution that they are moving towards.

Background:

• In May 2024, Kyiv asked the EU to conduct some exercises on Ukrainian soil, but there are many sceptics among member states who warn that the bloc could be drawn into a war and question Kyiv's ability to protect training sites from Russian attacks, given the acute shortage of air defence equipment.
• At the end of November, Major General Christian Freuding, head of the Bundeswehr's Situation Center Ukraine and chief of the planning staff at the German Ministry of Defence, said that he saw no practical advantages in holding military exercises on the territory of Ukraine.
• The general believes that training in Ukraine is more risky, as Russians will try to attack any training facilities where NATO troops are present.
• He also noted excellent training facilities in Germany and other European NATO countries, offering much better training conditions. Freuding added that holding the training in Germany or Europe would be a better solution, as it would allow them to be more efficient, invest in instructors, and increase the level of training without worrying about security.

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