In brief
The "KOALICJA 26.2" exercise in Poland involved 2,800 personnel from 11 countries and aimed to ready for post-war deployment to Ukraine. European officials pushed for a seat in the Abu Dhabi talks, while Russia’s Foreign Ministry warned of legitimate targeting of foreign forces. The drill underscored Europe’s bid for greater influence in Ukraine’s future peace negotiations.
On Monday, 9 November, the Britain‑ and France‑led Coalition of the Willing launched its first large‑scale military exercise in Poland, preparing for a potential deployment to Ukraine after the expected end of hostilities. The drill, coded "KOALICJA 26.2," ran through 22 November and involved about 2,800 military personnel from 11 countries, including Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain and Poland.
The exercise was designed to test command‑and‑control arrangements, rehearse the movement of personnel, equipment and supplies, and assess how the multinational force could operate together. It was intended as both a readiness exercise and a signal of force readiness to any Ukrainian restoration effort once fighting ceased.
Operational headquarters for the multinational force is located in Paris, while the land and air components are situated around Nowa Deba in southeastern Poland, roughly 100 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. Turkish units were simultaneously testing maritime mine‑clearing arrangements in Istanbul, indicating a combined land‑air‑sea scope.
The British Ministry of Defence described the exercise as “not a hypothetical plan, it’s a real force, ready to help Ukraine once the fighting stops.”
"This isn't a hypothetical plan, it's a real force, ready to help Ukraine once the fighting stops," said British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting in a statement issued by Xinhua.
The exercise began a day before the scheduled restart of Russia, Ukraine and United States talks in Abu Dhabi, where European leaders had advocated a more prominent role for the European Union. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU would be present at the negotiations, while the Kremlin reiterated that the core talks would involve only Russia, Ukraine and the United States.
In a warning that foreign forces would be lawful targets, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Saturday that “any foreign military units deployed in Ukraine would be regarded as legitimate targets.” Her comment reflected Russia’s deepening concerns over the multinational presence on its doorstep.
Poland’s Defence Ministry highlighted that while the country hosts the main portion of the exercise and provides logistical support, it does not plan to send troops to Ukraine after the conflict ends. The ministry stated that its role is limited to hosting and ensuring readiness for future operations.
The Coalition of the Willing, established in 2025, includes more than 30 countries, mostly European. The United States is not a member of the coalition, marking a distinct European‑led approach to the Ukraine theatre.
Across the multinational exercise, participants re‑enforced coordination drills, from ground troop movements to air support integration, underscoring Europe’s intent to project capable, cohesive forces that could be rapidly deployed in a post‑war environment.
As the Kuwait‑sized exercise concluded, European officials reiterated that military readiness was only one aspect of their aspiration for a seat at the impending peace talks. The exercise’s completion ahead of the Abu Dhabi negotiations signaled a dual strategy: a practical readiness stance and a diplomatic push for influence in determining Ukraine’s post‑conflict future.
