In brief
The Britain‑ and France‑led Coalition of the Willing staged the 13‑day “KOALICJA 26.2” drill in southeastern Poland, involving 2,800 troops from 11 states. The exercise, designed to prepare for post‑war deployment in Ukraine, came just before the next round of talks in Abu Dhabi, where European officials seek to join the negotiation table. Moscow warned that any foreign units would be legitimate targets. European leaders and analysts alike see the drills as a signal that Europe wants more influence in Ukraine’s future security guarantees.
Poland’s southeastern border town of Nowa Deba buzzed on Monday as the Britain‑and‑France‑led Coalition of the Willing rolled out its first large‑scale military exercise, “KOALICJA 26.2”, in preparation for a possible post‑war deployment to Ukraine. The drills, which ran from 9 to 22 November, saw about 2,800 soldiers and support personnel from 11 countries—including Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Poland, and others—march through terrain within 100 km of Ukraine’s frontier.
Polish officials said the exercise was lead‑coordinated with Turkish units that tested maritime mine‑clearing operations out of Istanbul. While the Coalition’s operational headquarters sat in Paris, the main land component was centred on the Polish side, with the country offering logistical support but emphasising that it intended not to send its troops into Ukraine once hostilities ended.
Coordinating a Multinational Force
The exercise aimed to test command‑and‑control arrangements, rehearse the movement of personnel, equipment and supplies, and assess how the blended units could operate together as a cohesive force. According to the British Ministry of Defence, it was a real‑world readiness exercise, not a theoretical plan. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting summed it up in a statement:
"This isn’t a hypothetical plan, it’s a real force, ready to help Ukraine once the fighting stops."
Streeting’s remarks were meant to demonstrate to both Ukraine and international partners that Europe could commit a credible military presence after the conflict erupts.
The coalition itself was established in 2025 and numbers over 30 member countries, the majority of which are European. The United States is not part of the grouping, even though the broader coalition is sometimes referred to as the “Coalition of the Willing”.
Automation of the exercises happened just before the next round of peace talks scheduled for Tuesday in Abu Dhabi. The talks are set to regroup Russia, the United States and Ukraine, while European officials push for inclusion of the European Union in the negotiations. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU would attend, whereas Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova warned that any foreign military units deployed into Ukraine would be regarded as legitimate targets.
Her statement, made on Saturday, echoed Moscow’s long‑standing caution:
"Any foreign military units deployed in Ukraine would be regarded as legitimate targets,"Zakharova said. The remark came just a day before the debate of whether European participation was a “core” part of the meeting. Russia said only the trio of Russia, Ukraine and the United States would be involved at the core of negotiations, while European dignitaries urged a meaningful role for the EU, especially concerning Ukraine’s future security guarantees.
German officials, alongside other European partners, have also voiced a push for a substantive role in the talks. Analysts note that the exercise’s timing and scale could be the Coalition’s attempt to stake a claim at the negotiating table. The presence of 2,800 multinational troops, the rehearsal of joint operations, and strong political statements from both the UK and European Commission all point to a Europe‑led narrative: that a post‑war Ukraine will benefit from formal, coordinated planning with its European neighbours and that the EU should sit alongside the United States and Russia in shaping the country’s future.
Russia’s warning was not entirely new. Moscow has consistently signalled that it regards any foreign military presence in Ukraine as a provocation and, if necessary, a legitimate military target. The statement added a layer of tension as the Coalition’s drills continued amid the next phase of diplomatic negotiations. The situation underscores the complexity of bringing China, NATO and the EU leaders to the same table with Russia and Ukraine, each with divergent visions for the post‑war settlement.
Meanwhile, Turkish forces conducted maritime mine‑clearing drills in Istanbul, underscoring the multi‑theater nature of the Coalition’s training, and Moscow’s newly constructed statement that “foreign units are legitimate targets” adds psychological pressure to the already tense environment of the next peace talks.
Poland, by hosting the exercise, frames itself as a key European logistics node while simultaneously abstaining from engagement in the Ukraine combat zone. The country’s stance reflects a broader European debate about the extent to which European states and the EU should be directly involved in Ukraine’s defense and post‑war reconstruction. The 2026 peace talks in Abu Dhabi will likely decide whether a European voice will be given a formal seat and, if so, how it will influence Ukraine’s future security architecture.