FRENCH MILITARY BASE (AP) – French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday inspected Ukrainian military training at a military camp in eastern France, as Western allies weighed a victory plan backed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Showed support for Ukraine. .
The Ukrainian brigade visited by President Macron is being combat-ready and armed by France for front-line deployment against the Russian invasion. Macron's office said it could not report the exact location of the base for security reasons.
French military officials are training 2,300 Ukrainian soldiers at the camp, teaching them how to use and maintain French-supplied weapons and exposing them to combat-like conditions, including stress, noise and drones.
It will be the first time President Macron will meet with some of the 15,000 Ukrainian troops trained by France since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, including thousands of people trained in Poland. Includes people.
The new Ukrainian 155th Brigade will eventually consist of 4,500 troops. 2,300 of them are trained in France, comprising three battalions of infantry, plus engineers, artillery teams and other specialists. The brigade's other battalions will receive Ukrainian training, bringing the brigade's total strength to 4,500 men.
France is also equipping its brigades with a variety of weapons, as well as training them to use and maintain them. Macron's office said the brigade would be equipped with 128 armored personnel carriers, 18 Caesar guns and 18 AMX light tanks, as well as Milan anti-tank missiles and heavy trucks. President Macron has pledged up to 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) worth of military aid to Ukraine this year, the presidential palace announced.
Macron's office said the training was adapted to front-line situations that the Ukrainian military would encounter in the fight against Russian invading forces. Training trenches are being dug using methods and layouts similar to those in Ukraine. Approximately 1,500 French military personnel are taking part in months-long brigade training.
Mr. Macron's new focus on Ukraine reflects how changes in French politics are weakening his influence on domestic affairs. His decision to hold surprise parliamentary elections in June backfired, preserving the minority government and strengthening the opposition's strength in parliament. The government survived a no-confidence vote late Tuesday, the first of what Mr Macron's opponents threaten to repeatedly try to bring down Prime Minister Michel Barnier in the coming months.
A tour of Ukraine's military in front-line combat and training in French-supplied weapons systems will highlight that Mr. Macron's influence in defense and foreign affairs remains largely intact.
