EU defense chiefs agree to expand training mission for Ukraine’s recruits by quarter

This was stated by EU High Representative Josep Borrell, who spoke at a press conference following the event, reports an Ukrinform correspondent.

Referring to the EUMAM military assistance mission, Borrell said it as a “great success” as it has already allowed training of 60,000 Ukrainian recruits. Today, the ministers agreed to increase the training target to 75,000, that is, to have another 15,000 soldiers trained by year-end, Borrell explained.

The EU is ready to do more, and this is what Ukraine has been asking, the high representative stressed.

He noted that the EU seeks to make the training mission as "pragmatic" as possible and to simplify access to it for Ukrainian servicemen as much as possible. At the same time, the EU plans a wider involvement of Ukrainian instructors and intends to ensure strong coordination of the mission's activities with both Ukraine and NATO.

To this end, the high representative proposed, and the member states agreed, to create a small coordination center in Kyiv. This will enable coordination directly between the relevant actors. This will not be an executive mission of the EU in Ukraine, on its territory. This will be a coordination structure in Kyiv, which aims to increase the efficiency of work, said the high representative of the EU.

As reported, an informal meeting of the EU ministers in the Gymnich format took place in Brussels. Yesterday, discussions on the most important foreign policy issues were held among the ministers of foreign affairs, and today the security issues were discussed by the ministers of defense. The top issue on the agenda was continuing and strengthening defense support to Ukraine.