The coalition of countries supporting Ukraine is set to hold its first full-scale military exercise in Poland, nearly two years after a series of meetings and summits. The Koalijca exercise will begin on November 9 in Nowa Deba, in the country’s southeast, and is scheduled to run until November 22.
The drills are intended to assess whether the 36-country alliance can deploy forces in Ukraine if fighting between Kyiv and Moscow comes to an end. Led by France and the United Kingdom, the coalition aims to demonstrate that it could form an intervention force capable of deterring a possible resumption of hostilities.
Nearly 2,800 soldiers from ten countries are expected to take part in the exercise. France and the United Kingdom will provide the largest contingents, alongside Estonia, Lithuania, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Belgium.
The exercise will take place near the Ukrainian border. However, it is not expected to be a conventional show of force involving tanks and missiles. The coalition faces uncertainty over the future security arrangements for Ukraine, particularly because the United States is not part of the initiative and its role in potential guarantees remains unclear.
Sources: Le Monde International.