The European Union's army training mission for Ukraine looks set to increase its targets, from the current 60,000 to 75,000 soldiers by year-end, EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell has announced.
The training program, launched in 2022, has been an essential part of EU’s military aid to Ukraine and it needs to adapt quickly to war conditions, including the use of Ukrainian trainers and strengthening ties with Ukraine and NATO.
Ukraine has previously been concerned about the effectiveness of the training, according to Euractiv.
Adapting military training amidst war conditions
Recognizing the needs of the war, Borrell argued for a pragmatic approach to deliver the training program.
A large chunk of discussions around updating the mission's mandate is focused on bringing a part of the training onto Ukrainian soil.
The scheme has drawn mixed reactions from EU member states, Euractiv writes.
Paris has been supportive of the idea, attracting unexpected backlash, particularly from Germany. Lithuania, however, backed Paris' stance though no final decision has been made as yet.
Notably, achieving consensus among the member states for shifting the training to Ukraine could prove challenging.
This critical issue has aroused scepticism from various quarters with the likes of Slovak Defence Minister, Robert Kaliňák questioning the mission's effectiveness and Budapest voicing its opposition to any military support to Ukraine.
As the discussions continue, a significant debate is anticipated as member states explore viable options for Ukraine's military preparedness.
