Thousands of soldiers from 11 countries began the first organised military exercises by the so-called Coalition of the Willing in Poland today. The manoeuvres, jointly led by France and the UK, are taking place in Nowa Deba, around 100 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, and will last until 22 November. British Lieutenant-General Tom Bateman, who commands the Multinational Force Ukraine (MNF-U), stated that this exercise "will show that the Multinational Force-Ukraine is a real, capable, readily deployable force". This commitment aims to support Ukraine following a potential future peace deal with Russia, moving beyond hypothetical planning into tangible preparation.
Operational scale and logistics
The deployment involves approximately 5,000 personnel across land, air, and sea domains. AFP reports that France contributes 1,100 troops, while the British defence ministry has sent 300 personnel along with Typhoon and Voyager aircraft. Polska Zbrojna, a publication linked to the Polish defence ministry, notes that just under 2,000 Polish troops participate, bringing the total count close to five thousand. Other nations involved include Belgium, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey. The maritime component is led by Turkey through a simulated operational exercise, without deploying troops to Poland itself. France’s armed forces ministry says the aim is to ensure MNF-U is "ready to deploy at the request of the Ukrainian government" to guarantee lasting peace. Specific tasks include sending instructors to rebuild Ukrainian armed forces, enabling civilian aircraft to resume flying in Ukrainian airspace, and clearing mines from Black Sea shipping routes.
Russian condemnation and political context
Russia condemned the development on Saturday, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stating that the West remains unwilling to take Moscow’s "legitimate security concerns" into account. She described the deployment of any foreign armed forces to Ukraine as "absolutely unacceptable," warning that such units would be regarded by the Russian armed forces as legitimate targets. Zakharova added that these actions create additional threats to Russia’s security and confirm that Europeans have no place at the negotiating table. Poland’s defence ministry reiterated that it would not send its own soldiers to Ukrainian territory, intending instead to provide logistical support. French, UK, and Polish officials emphasised that MNF-U forces would only deploy once fighting has ceased, excluding peacekeeping or ceasefire-monitoring duties. These exercises occur as Ukraine and Russia meet the United States and others for peace talks in Abu Dhabi this week. British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting suggested the scenario is real: "This isn’t a hypothetical plan, it’s a real force, ready to help Ukraine once the fighting stops."
