The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, announced on Friday 2 December that 1,100 Ukrainian soldiers had begun training under the banner of the EU Military Assistance Mission in Support of Ukraine (EUMAM) in various camps across the EU.
Speaking at a press briefing from Brzeg, Poland, Mr Borrell said that 20 Member States were taking part in the mission, as well as the UK and Canada. “Norway will finance €15 million of the necessary ammunition and training equipment”, he added, while €16 million from the European Peace Facility has been made available for training needs (see EUROPE 13062/1).
“The Ukrainian army is one of the best in the world”, Mr Borrell said, underlining his admiration for the Ukrainian soldiers who are defending their country against Russian aggression.
On the same day, the European External Action Service announced the funding and delivery to the Ukrainian armed forces of equipment for a cyber laboratory in Kyiv, software and security equipment.
“With this support, Ukraine can build and develop the cyber defence capabilities of its armed forces to detect intrusions into information systems, deal with cyber attacks and strengthen their overall cyber security capability”, the EEAS said in a statement.
According to the diplomatic service, the cyber lab will provide a training environment to test and enhance the practical skills of military cyber defence professionals through realistic virtual scenarios and real-time simulations that will help identify, monitor and protect against future cyber attacks faster and more effectively, it added. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)