What are the goals and objectives of the EU mission?

The decision to establish an EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM) was motivated by the need to further improve Ukraine’s capabilities in carrying out defence activities independently. The consent to its launch proves that the deadlock in the EU regarding further military support for Ukraine has been broken. As part of the mission, individual, collective, and specialist training courses will be organised for Ukraine’s Armed Forces and its Territorial Defence Forces. The mission will operate on the territory of the Member States and the headquarters will be based in Brussels within the European External Action Service. The mission commander will be Vice Admiral Hervé Bléjean, the director of the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) within the EU Military Staff (EUMS). The initial mandate of the mission will run for two years and its operational resources will amount to €106.7 million.

What security assistance has the EU offered to Ukraine so far?

Since the Russian full-scale invasion in February, the EU has engaged in support for Ukraine in an unprecedented way. Its response was the first time that it financed not only personal protective equipment and fuel but also military equipment from the European Peace Facility. Moreover, at a meeting on 17 October, the foreign ministers decided to further increase the support to a total of €3.1 billion. In addition, the EU provides Ukraine with the necessary material assistance, such as medical supplies and power generators, under the Civil Protection Mechanism. The Council of the EU also changed the mandate of the EU Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform in Ukraine. Within its framework, the EU can now conduct training and offer advice, as well as participate in the financing or purchase of equipment necessary for the Ukrainian authorities to investigate and prosecute international crimes.

What will change in the training of Ukrainian soldiers by EU countries?

The launch of the EU mission will translate into coherence in the exercise system and also allows for an increase in the number of Ukrainian soldiers participating in the training—the EU’s target is at least 15,000 troops. Some Member States, such as France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia, are already training soldiers from Ukraine, but their actions were not coordinated. Although the mission’s mandate does not provide for the creation of a single training centre, a Combined Arms Training Command (CAT-C) will operate in Poland, and a Special Training Command in Germany will be coordinated with it.

Moreover, the mission is also expected to remain open to the participation of non-EU countries, which may foster the involvement of such traditional security partners as the UK, Canada, and the U.S. The EU previously deployed military assistance missions to the territory of third countries, but security issues in the case of Ukraine, for example, the risk of infiltration or direct attacks on training centres by the Russian side, resulted in an exception to the rule.

How will the EU mission affect the activities of Ukraine’s Armed Forces?

The launch of the mission will take place in mid-November, therefore no immediate effects of the training in terms of the situation at the front should be expected. Nevertheless, the Member States correctly assessed the significance of the mission, planning to prepare Ukrainian soldiers not only to participate in swift counter-offensives but also to engage effectively in hostilities if the Russian aggression persists. In addition, the mission will increase the preparation of Ukrainian soldiers to operate Western military equipment, supplies of which are still being sought by the Ukrainian authorities. At this stage, however, it will be crucial to adjust the exercises organised in the Member States to the most urgent needs of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, which will increase their military potential. From the EU Member States’ point of view, including Poland, it also will be important to ensure an appropriate exchange of experience between the parties participating in the training.