- UK and France to jointly lead thousands of troops from 11
nations in Exercise Koalicja in Poland.
- Major exercise will test Allies' readiness to support Ukraine
and rebuild their Armed Forces once the conflict ends.
- 300 UK troops, RAF Typhoons and Voyager aircraft will take
part, demonstrating the UK's commitment to Ukraine's security.
Hundreds of British troops, RAF jets and forces from 11 nations
will rehearse how to secure lasting peace in Ukraine when the
fighting ends in a major exercise in Poland this month.
The UK and France will jointly lead Exercise Koalicja, the first
major exercise run by the Multinational Force Ukraine (MNF-U).
MNF-U is the military arm of the Coalition of the Willing, a
group of nations who have pledged strengthened military, economic
and diplomatic support to Ukraine.
The exercise runs from 9 November to 22 November and will test
how to move, protect and supply a force that would help rebuild
Ukraine's Armed Forces once the fighting ends.
300 UK personnel are among the 2,800 troops taking part on land,
in the air and at sea. Soldiers from the British Army's 7 Brigade
(the Desert Rats') will rehearse crucial logistical movements,
while RAF Typhoons and a Voyager refuelling aircraft will fly
sorties overhead. The jets will simulate how they would reassure
commercial air travel once Ukraine's skies reopen.
Defence Secretary MP said:
"This exercise shows the UK is stepping up, alongside France and
our allies, to prepare for the day peace comes to Ukraine. This
isn't a hypothetical plan, it's a real force, ready to help
Ukraine once the fighting stops.
"By leading this work with our allies, we are protecting the UK
and Europe for the long term and delivering on our commitment to
keep the country safe. Ukraine's security is our security, and we
will stand with them for as long as it takes.
In the event of peace, the MNF-U will help underpin
Ukraine's future security by enabling safer Ukrainian skies and
seas and regenerating Ukrainian forces. It would only move
into Ukraine once fighting has ceased and at the request of
Ukraine's government. It would not carry out peacekeeping or
ceasefire-monitoring duties.
The MNF-U is commanded by British three-star general Lieutenant
General Tom Bateman. The UK jointly leads the MNF-U with France,
with the force's headquarters set to move from Paris to London
this year.
Commander of the Multinational Force-Ukraine Lieutenant
General Tom Bateman said:
This exercise will show that the Multinational Force-Ukraine is a
real, capable, readily deployable force that represents a serious
commitment from Coalition of the Willing nations to
Ukraine's long-term stability and security.
The MNF-U will be more ready every day to support Ukraine when
the fighting ends, ensuring the Armed Forces of Ukraine are in
the strongest possible position to deter future aggression.
The 11 nations participating in the exercise are Belgium,
Estonia, France, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland,
Spain, Sweden, Türkiye and the UK.
The exercise will involve testing command-and-control
arrangements for the force, rehearsing the movement of personnel,
equipment and supplies and assessing how different components can
integrate and operate effectively as one multinational force.
As well as the exercise's land and air components, Turkish forces
will stand up the MNF-U's maritime element in Istanbul, testing
arrangements for maritime mine clearance to allow commercial
shipping to safely return to Ukraine's ports.
Ukraine's security is central to the UK's own security. The
Russian state chose to invade Ukraine, undermining European
security and the principle that international borders cannot be
changed by force. A stable, secure Ukraine helps protect the UK,
Europe and the wider rules-based international order.
Britain continues to strengthen Ukraine's ability to defend
itself by providing military aid and training to Ukrainian
forces, while working with allies to maintain economic and
diplomatic pressure on the Russian state against a backdrop of
continuing barbaric Russian missile and drone attacks
on Ukraine.
The UK has never sought confrontation with Russia and has no
quarrel with the Russian people. But not seeking confrontation
does not mean failing to defend ourselves and our Allies. The UK
will continue to support Ukraine's right to defend itself,
protect UK and European security and work with Allies to deter
future threats.
The UK is stepping up defence spending in the biggest sustained
increase since the Cold War, reaching 2.7% of GDP from
2027-2028and with nearly £300 billion over four years.
