Force for Ukraine begins exercises in the coming months

A multinational force dedicated to Ukraine's security is set to undergo significant military exercises in countries bordering Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron announced the initiative after a meeting of the "coalition of the willing," emphasizing its purpose.

"We have decided today that exercises will be held in the coming months," Macron stated. "They will be carried out in Ukraine's neighboring countries to test our deployment plans and show that we are ready, determined, and credible."

“

We have decided today that exercises will be held in the coming months. They will be carried out in Ukraine's neighboring countries to test our deployment plans and show that we are ready, determined, and credible.

The coalition comprises approximately 35 nations, including Denmark, which have pledged security assurances to Ukraine. The plan, outlined in a declaration, involves forming this multinational force post-ceasefire to aid Ukraine's security across air, sea, and land domains. France and the United Kingdom are among the key contributors.

In parallel, Ukraine has placed substantial military equipment orders from France, including Franco-Italian air defense systems and 16 Rafale fighter jets. This follows a November agreement for Ukraine to purchase up to 100 Rafale jets over a decade, with the initial batch expected to be operational in Ukrainian airspace between 2028 and 2029. Ukraine also ordered SAMP-T air defense systems and radar systems as part of the bilateral defense cooperation roadmap agreed upon with France.

“

Earlier this afternoon, President Zelenskyy (President of Ukraine) and I agreed on a roadmap for how our two countries will implement what we agreed upon back in November regarding our bilateral defense cooperation.