France is contemplating the deployment of military instructors to Ukraine to train the country’s armed forces, according to Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi. The announcement follows a video meeting between Syrskyi and French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu on May 27.
The move is part of ongoing discussions among NATO member states about the possibility of sending military instructors or contractors to Ukraine to assist with training and equipment repairs. Ukraine has requested help from the United States and other NATO countries to train 150,000 soldiers closer to the front lines.
“I have already signed the documents that will enable the first French instructors to visit our training centres shortly and familiarize themselves with their infrastructure and personnel,” Syrskyi said on his Telegram channel. He believes France’s determination would encourage other partners to join the project.
France’s Defense Ministry confirmed that training in Ukraine is one of the projects discussed since the February conference on support for Ukraine, convened by French President Emmanuel Macron. The ministry emphasized that the project continues to be the subject of work with the Ukrainians to understand their specific needs.
The potential presence of NATO troops in Ukraine has been a topic of debate since Macron’s earlier comments, in which he considered the possibility of sending troops if requested. While some countries have distanced themselves from this statement, others have not ruled out sending troops for non-combat missions such as military training.
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