2,800 troops to test new Ukraine support force in Poland

Approximately 2,800 military personnel from ten European nations will assemble in southeastern Poland on November 9 to conduct the first operational test of the Multinational Force Ukraine. The exercise, named Koalicja, runs through November 22 and marks the initial practical assessment of a coalition designed to support Ukraine following a ceasefire.

France contributes the largest contingent with 1,100 troops, while the United Kingdom deploys 300 soldiers. The remaining personnel come from Belgium, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Sweden. These forces will conduct air and land operations around the town of Nowa Deba, situated roughly 100 kilometers west of the Ukrainian border.

The Multinational Force Ukraine was established in 2025 and maintains an operational headquarters in Paris. It operates independently of NATO with limited United States involvement. The force is not intended for offensive action or peacekeeping. Its mandate is to bolster Ukrainian security, secure airspace, and facilitate the resumption of economic activity in the Black Sea once hostilities cease.

French General Armel Dirou and British Lieutenant General Tom Bateman will co-lead the exercise. Dirou stated that the drill serves as a concrete demonstration of the force's ability to deploy immediately after fighting ends. He emphasized that the goal is to identify and resolve logistical and cultural friction points between the participating militaries.

British Defence Minister Wes Streeting described the group as a real force ready to assist Ukraine when the war stops. He clarified that the mission is not a hypothetical plan. Bateman added that the force is not designed for peacekeeping or ceasefire monitoring. Its purpose is to provide reassurance and support the regeneration of Ukrainian armed forces to strengthen their defensive capabilities.

Turkey will lead a separate maritime simulation from Istanbul to test preparedness for mine-clearing operations in the Black Sea. Turkish troops will not participate in the land exercises in Poland. The French defence ministry noted that the exercise will test the speed and efficiency of deploying forces across land, sea, and air to support Ukraine after the end of hostilities.

Moscow is expected to monitor the activity closely. The war, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, has now lasted longer than World War I. Neither side appears close to a decisive breakthrough as the conflict moves toward its five-year milestone.

Only light equipment, such as drones, will be deployed in Poland for anti-drone and self-defence drills. Heavy weaponry and tanks will not be present. The exercise will assess coordination arrangements, the movement of personnel and supplies, and the ability of different national components to integrate and operate effectively as a single multinational force.