In brief
A coalition of over 30 nations staged a large exercise in Poland from November 9‑22, testing command‑and‑control and multinational operations, according to Xinhua. The drill comes as European officials press for a role in Ukraine peace talks in Abu Dhabi and Russia warns any foreign forces would be legitimate targets.
The Britain‑ and France‑led Coalition of the Willing just launched its first large‑scale exercise in Poland, Xinhua reports, as European officials push for a role in forthcoming Ukraine peace negotiations. The drill, code‑named "KOALICJA 26.2," ran from November 9 to 22 and drew about 2,800 personnel from 11 countries, including Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Poland, and Turkey.
According to the British Ministry of Defence, the exercise will test command‑and‑control arrangements, rehearse the movement of personnel, equipment and supplies, and assess how different units can operate together as a multinational force. It will be directed from an operational headquarters in Paris, with land and air components stationed around Nowa Deba in southeastern Poland, roughly 100 km from the Ukrainian border.
British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the coalition is ready to help Ukraine once fighting stops, describing the force as “real,” not hypothetical. The statement reflected the group’s intent to showcase its military credibility ahead of peace talks.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova warned on Saturday that any foreign military units deployed in Ukraine would be considered legitimate targets, adding a warning to the rising tensions.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU would be present at the peace talks in Abu Dhabi scheduled to resume on Tuesday, highlighting Europe’s insistence on a seat at the negotiation table, despite the Kremlin’s claim that core talks involve only Russia, Ukraine and the United States.
