Ukraine announces EU military training mission in the country

Ukraine has reached an agreement “in principle” with the European Union for the bloc to hold a military training mission in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Monday.

Kuleba told reporters that the EU would “roll out [an] advisory training military mission in Ukraine,” Politico reported.

He added that the mission is not about combat but is “a new element in the cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union.” 

The move comes as nations rally to support Ukraine amid the threat of a Russian military incursion.

Moscow has amassed up to 190,000 troops around Ukraine’s borders, and the U.S. and its allies are warning that an invasion could occur within days. 

Monday’s announcement came shortly before the Kremlin announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin would recognize the breakaway territories of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic as independent, a move which would likely set up a confrontation with Ukraine.

According to the Politico, the plan for the military drills is to use an existing 5 billion euro fund that was used for the EU’s military budget to boost Ukraine’s professional military education. However, officials can turn the effort into a full-scale mission later.

Officials could send active-duty and retired personnel, and possibly civilian experts, the outlet further reported.

Separately on Monday, the European Council adopted a 1.2 billion euro emergency assistance package for Ukraine and imposed sanctions on five members of the Russian State Duma who were elected to represent Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula and the city of Sevastopol in September.