Plane at Boryspil Airport near Kiev, Ucraine. Photo: Shutterstock The UK and France will lead a multinational military exercise in Poland this month, bringing together 2,800 troops from 11 countries to prepare for a possible end to the war in Ukraine and the security arrangements that could follow.
Exercise Koalicja will take place from November 9 to 22 and marks the first major exercise conducted by the Multinational Force Ukraine (MNF-U), the military arm of the Coalition of the Willing. The exercise will test how allied forces could support Ukraine, help rebuild its armed forces and contribute to securing the country once hostilities have ended.
According to the UK Ministry of Defence, 300 British military personnel will participate alongside forces from Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden and Türkiye.
The British contribution will include soldiers from the Army's 7 Brigade, known as the Desert Rats, as well as Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets and a Voyager air-to-air refuelling aircraft.
The RAF aircraft will take part in simulated missions designed to demonstrate how military forces could help reassure commercial aviation and support the reopening of Ukrainian airspace.
One of the central objectives of the exercise is to test how a multinational force could move personnel, equipment and supplies while coordinating operations across land, air and sea.
The air component will focus on the role allied aircraft could play in supporting security arrangements for Ukraine's skies. This is particularly relevant to the eventual return of commercial aviation, which would depend on security conditions and the ability to protect civilian air routes.
The maritime component will also be tested. Turkish forces will establish the MNF-U's maritime element in Istanbul, rehearsing arrangements for clearing naval mines and helping make it possible for commercial shipping to return safely to Ukrainian ports.
The exercise will also assess command-and-control arrangements and the ability of the participating countries to operate together as a single multinational force.
The Multinational Force Ukraine is commanded by British Lieutenant General Tom Bateman, with the UK and France jointly leading the initiative. Its headquarters are scheduled to move from Paris to London later this year.
British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the exercise was intended to prepare allied forces for the period following the end of the fighting.
"This isn't a hypothetical plan, it's a real force, ready to help Ukraine once the fighting stops," Streeting said, adding that Ukraine's security is closely connected to that of the UK and Europe.
Bateman described the exercise as a demonstration of the coalition's commitment to Ukraine's long-term stability, saying the force would continue preparing to support the country when hostilities end.
The ministry stressed that the MNF-U would enter Ukraine only after fighting had ceased and at the request of the Ukrainian government. Its mission would not include peacekeeping or monitoring a ceasefire.
The initiative is intended to help strengthen Ukraine's future security by supporting its armed forces and enabling safer air and maritime operations.
The exercise comes as the UK continues providing military assistance and training to Ukrainian forces. London also says it is increasing defence spending, with the budget set to reach 2.7% of GDP from 2027-2028.