The Twenty-Seven have given the green light this Monday to extend for two more years, until November 15, 2028, the mandate of the EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine). For this new phase, the Community bloc plans to allocate close to 300 million euros in order to maintain training for the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the face of the Russian invasion.
The decision comes after a recent strategic review of the mission and also provides for deploying an EUMAM presence in Ukrainian territory, with the aim of ensuring "direct and effective" coordination with the military authorities of Kiev, the country's Armed Forces and the international partners involved in training tasks.
With this adjustment, the European Union seeks to adapt European military training to the current needs of Ukrainian troops, integrating the "lessons learned on the battlefield" and strengthening the training programs to bolster the country's defensive capabilities, in accordance with information released by the Council.
At the same time, the mission will continue working in close coordination with other international partners, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Norway, and will continue collaborating both with the so-called Coalition of Volunteers and with NATO through its Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine command (NSATU).
MORE THAN 100,000 UKRAINIAN MILITARY PERSONNEL TRAINED SINCE 2022
The EUMAM Ukraine mission, launched in October 2022 at Kiev's request, has made it possible so far to instruct more than 100,000 Ukrainian military personnel. Its purpose is to enhance their operational capabilities and support the Armed Forces in defending the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty against Russian aggression.
The program provides Ukrainian personnel with individual, collective and specialized training in the territory of the European Union member states, and also coordinates and harmonizes the different training plans promoted by the participating countries.
These activities are completed with the sending of military equipment, both lethal and non-lethal, to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The mission's funding comes from the European Peace Facility, the Community instrument designed to strengthen the military and defense capabilities of EU partners.