EU Extends Training Mission for Ukrainian Military for Two More Years

14 October, 2024 Ukrainian military during training in Spain. Photo: emad.defensa.gob.es The foreign ministers of the European Union member states have agreed to extend the EU Training Mission (EUMAM) for the Ukrainian military.

EU High Representative Josep Borrell announced this at a press conference. "We need to provide the Armed Forces of Ukraine with more capabilities and increase our training mission. We will extend the EUMAM mandate for the next two years," he said.

Now this decision must be approved by the Council of the European Union.

EUMAM

The EUMAM mission was established in October 2022 to help train Ukrainian military personnel.

A Ukrainian soldier participates in training in Poland as part of the EUMAM Ukraine mission, December 2022. Photo credits: Twitter/Joseph Borrell

At the beginning of its existence, it was about training 15,000 soldiers. But over time, this number increased.

In August 2024, the EU Defense Council once again agreed to increase the number of Ukrainian military personnel to be trained in the EU by another 15,000. This will bring the total number of trained soldiers to 75,000. Within the framework of this mission, exercises are held mainly in Poland and Germany, and less often in Belgium.

There was some discussion of moving some of the training to Ukraine, but this idea was eventually abandoned. This mission also became part of the Ukraine Treaty, which was signed at the NATO summit in Washington in July 2024. The training content is regularly updated and adapted to the needs of the Ukrainian military.

Ukrainian soldiers during a training exercise with Leopard 1 tanks in Germany, May 5, 2023.

Photo credits: Reuters

In particular, Ukrainian soldiers are trained in combat operations, as well as in the use and maintenance of military equipment provided to the Defense Forces by Western partners. In early October 2024, it became known that the Romanian Parliament supported the creation of a training centre for Ukrainian marines. The proposed plan assumes that the centre will operate for two years.

Landing of Ukrainian marines on the coast.

May 2024.

Photo credits: Ukrainian Navy

It was suggested that the centre be created within the Ukraine Defense Contact Group framework in the Ramstein format to strengthen Ukraine's maritime capabilities.

Thus, Romania will support the training of Ukrainian marines within its capabilities.