First Ukrainian pilots to arrive for training in France in early 2024

Next year France will provide training to Ukrainian pilots and continue training courses for Ukrainian servicemen while also sending weapons and equipment to Ukraine.

The relevant statement was made by the French Armed Forces Ministry in the annual report summarizing the military aid provided by France to Ukraine in the past 22 months, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“The first pilots will arrive at the beginning of 2024. After the initial training in France, they will continue training on fighter aircraft as part of the training courses organized by our partners,” the report states.

France does not have the F-16 fighter aircraft, which are expected to be used by Ukrainian pilots. But, according to the data available to Ukrinform, the pilot training cycle will take place on the Alfa Jet aircraft of France’s Air Force.

Additionally, French military professionals will continue providing training to Ukrainian soldiers as part of the European Union Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM) in support of Ukraine. These training courses are intended to continue in 2024 and will extend to other areas (naval and air).

Currently, 200 Ukrainian soldiers undergo training in France per month in three areas: combined arms warfare; specific needs defined by the Ukrainian side, such as demining efforts; the operation of the equipment supplied.

Battalions of around 600 Ukrainian soldiers are also provided training in Poland. Overall, France will have nearly 8,000 Ukrainian soldiers trained in 2023, or around a quarter of the soldiers trained as part of the EUMAM (30,000 in 2023 in total).

For France, military support for Ukraine is organized around three major milestones: the transfers of weapons equipment; participation in training programs for the Ukrainian military personnel; the establishment of financial mechanisms to allow Kyiv to directly acquire equipment.