The key facts
- EUMAM Ukraine's mandate extended until 15 November 2028, with a budget of almost 300 million euros
- The mission will for the first time have a presence directly on the territory of Ukraine
- The approach to training Ukrainian military personnel will be changed to take into account the AFU's combat experience
Extension of the mandate and a new budget
The Council of the EU has extended the mandate of the EUMAM Ukraine military mission, which trains Ukrainian service members, by another two years — until 15 November 2028. A budget of almost 300 million euros has been allocated for this period; the decision was made following a recent strategic review of the mission's activities, according to a statement by the Council of the EU. This is reported by Life.ru citing the document.
The mission's presence on the territory of Ukraine
The key change is an expansion of the mission's work: the Council decided to establish a presence of EUMAM Ukraine directly in Ukraine. This will allow mission representatives to establish direct and effective interaction with Ukrainian military authorities, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and international partners. Previously, the training of Ukrainian military personnel took place outside the country; now, according to the Council of the EU, the mission will be able to maintain direct contacts with the AFU command — this is a confirmed change to the previous format of work.
A change in the training approach and partners
After the mandate extension, the European Union intends to adjust the training program for Ukrainian service members to take into account the current tasks of the AFU: particular attention will be paid to analyzing experience gained on the battlefield and improving military training in support of Ukraine's defense objectives. The mission will continue cooperation with EU partners — the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Norway — and will coordinate its work with NATO and the 'Coalition of the Willing.'
Context: the debate on Europe's security system
The mandate extension comes amid diplomatic activity surrounding the Ukrainian issue. Earlier, the EU's chief diplomat Kaja Kallas spoke out against changing the existing security system in Europe: in her view, European countries should strengthen the existing mechanisms based on NATO and the European Union. The statement was made against the backdrop of Washington's initiative to discuss broader security agreements with Russia's participation.
