EU plans to train 40,000 Ukrainian troops by end of 2023

EU top diplomat Josep Borrell proposes to increase the number of Ukrainian soldiers trained by the EU training mission to 40,000.

Borrell said initially, the task was to train 25,000 Ukrainian soldiers, and at the end of October, this figure will be 30,000 Ukrainian soldiers.

You know, I always say that we need to do more and faster. I still believe that we need to do more and faster, and "I proposed the ministers to raise the objective of the mission to 40,000 Ukrainian soldiers trained by the end of the year, the High Representative said.

EU Defense Ministers also welcomed the decision of the Netherlands and Denmark to provide Ukraine with F-16 aircraft

We will explore the possibility of how we can integrate these F-16 pilot training modules inside our mission. Our mission should be also able to contribute to the training of these pilots for these planes, Borrell said.

He also elaborated on the issue of providing Ukraine with ammunition, recalling a three-track approach to resolving this issue: providing Ukraine with ammunition from existing stocks, which was implemented by the end of May, jointly purchasing ammunition from the European defense industry and increasing the production capacity of the military-industrial complex.

On October 17, 2022, the EU military assistance mission to Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine) was officially established, and by mid-November, it began its operations.

The mission aimed to train up to 30,000 Ukrainian troops in centers located in EU member countries. As of June, more than 24,000 soldiers had completed training.

The EU intends to continue its EUMAM training mission even when the war in Ukraine ends.