Estonia claims bloc alienated over army instructors for Ukraine
(MENAFN) The European Union remains at an impasse regarding the deployment of military instructors to Ukraine, according to Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur. Speaking at a defense ministers' meeting in Brussels on Friday, Pevkur revealed that while there is a collective effort within the European Union to enhance training for Ukrainian forces, consensus on sending instructors directly to Ukraine has yet to be reached.
Pevkur emphasized the need for a unified stance, noting that the mission's success hinges on the agreement of all member states. “We do not have the consensus here yet,” he stated, highlighting the importance of finding common ground. He further explained that European Union countries must decide whether the training mission should be broad and extensive or more targeted and limited.
In addition to discussing the scope of the training mission, Pevkur suggested expanding the European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine). He proposed that training smaller groups of Ukrainian soldiers on Ukrainian soil could be a feasible and safe option.
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell echoed Pevkur’s sentiments, indicating that the bloc is considering ways to enhance its training initiatives. Borrell noted that the European Union’s objective is to train a total of 60,000 Ukrainian troops by the end of summer 2024, with plans to extend this training effort until 2026.
Borrell also mentioned the possibility of establishing a coordination center in Ukraine, but he confirmed that there is no current agreement to station European instructors on Ukrainian soil. The ongoing discussions reflect the European Union's commitment to supporting Ukraine while navigating the complexities of international cooperation and military training.
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