European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said there was “broad support” in the bloc to conduct training in Ukraine for Kyiv’s military if a ceasefire with Russia is in place.
The 27-nation EU has so far trained over 80,000 Ukrainian soldiers outside the borders of the war-torn country to help it battle Moscow’s invasion.
Kallas said on August 29 the move could be part of broader western security guarantees given to Ukraine to help shore up any ceasefire agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I welcome that there is broad support today to expand our EU military mission mandate to provide training and advice inside Ukraine after any truce,” Kallas said after talks with the bloc’s defence ministers.
“We must be ready to do more. This could include placing EU trainers in Ukrainian military academies and institutions,” she said.
As part of the US-led peace efforts, western powers have been discussing how to guarantee Ukraine’s security in case of a truce deal.
US President Donald Trump has indicated his country could play a role backing up a European peacekeeping plan but would not deploy its soldiers to Ukraine.
Despite Trump throwing his weight into trying to end the war, Moscow has continued to stall on a potential meeting between Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky.
In the meantime Moscow has carried out waves of bombardments on Ukraine, including deadly strikes on Kyiv a few days ago.
“The past weeks we have seen diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war, and it’s clear that Europe wants peace. America wants peace. Ukraine wants peace,” Kallas said.
“Who doesn’t want peace is Russia.”
Zelensky said on August 29 that Russia was building up a force of some 100,000 troops near the eastern Ukrainian stronghold of Pokrovsk, which Russia claims as its territory.
“There is a build-up and concentration of the enemy there. Up to 100,000 – that’s what we have as of this morning. They are preparing offensive actions in any case,” Zelensky told journalists.
He added that Ukrainian forces were pushing out pockets of Russian troops from the northeastern border region of Sumy.
