(MENAFN) According to a statement issued by the Czech Republic, which now holds the chair of the EU Council, the EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM) has been activated. As the armed war between Moscow and Kiev continues, the bloc will train some 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers.

Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy leader, told reporters on Monday that the decision to initiate the training program was made in "record time," and that the mission will be operating "in a couple of weeks."

The senior diplomat claimed that the EU's decision to offer military aid to Ukraine was "a positive one," and that the group must continue to help the country.

Several EU members states, though, have already opted out of the scheme. Hungary stated that it did not even vote for the creation of EUMAM and that it would not send any trainers or provide financial resources to its operational costs. Austria has likewise declined to participate in the mission but has expressed support for the project.

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