Pentagon mulls expansion of Ukraine forces training

The Pentagon is considering expanding the training it provides to Ukrainian forces as the nation’s war with Russia drags on in its 10th month, according to multiple reports.

Under the proposal, the U.S. military would instruct as many as 2,500 Ukrainian soldiers a month at an American base in Grafenwoehr, Germany, CNN reported on Wednesday.

As military operations are expected to slow with the onset of winter, the potential lull in fighting could provide an opportunity to expand training efforts, U.S. officials told the outlet.

Ukraine has requested the training, which U.S. officials said has been discussed for weeks, The Washington Post reported.

The U.S. has previously trained some Ukrainian soldiers in Poland on how to use the weapons that it has been providing to the war-torn country. In total, the Biden administration has sent more than $19 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of the country in February.

The United Kingdom similarly launched a program this summer that aimed to provide basic military training to 10,000 Ukrainians, with more than 6,000 having already passed through the program.