Brussels Plans to Establish EU Training Bases in Ukraine
The European Union is considering the possibility of conducting training for Ukrainian military personnel directly in Ukraine, as suggested by recent strategic consultations of EU missions.
The EU President and the governments of member countries are seriously discussing the possibility of transferring parts of the Ukrainian military training operations to Ukrainian territory. This consideration is grounded in the strategic reviews of the EU Advisory Mission (EUAM) and the EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM). Currently, the EUMAM mission has trained about 80,000 Ukrainian military personnel on the territory of EU member states.
In the western regions of Ukraine, three training centers have already been established for military personnel training, but their full operation is limited by a lack of adequate infrastructure and foreign instructors. The absence of a training mission directly in Ukraine causes logistical challenges and necessitates sending military personnel far from the front line for training.
In particular, training in peaceful conditions on EU territory limits the opportunities to utilize drones and electronic warfare systems, which are actively used on the front line. However, the EUMAM strategic review notes that relocating mission structures to Ukraine is only possible if a ceasefire or another form of cessation of hostilities is established.
The EUMAM mission was established at the end of 2022 in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion and is considered one of the EU’s most successful initiatives in supporting Ukraine. Since its inception, 15 Ukrainian brigades have undergone training in 18 EU countries, completing over 1,750 training modules.
| Country | Number of Training Modules | Types of Training |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | 400 | Basic and Advanced Training |
| Poland | 375 | Counter-Drone Operations |
| France | 250 | F-16 Fighter Jet Operations |
