Preparing for peace Multinational Military Training Exercise

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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.

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 Wes Streeting 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.