Europe is stepping up preparations for Ukraine's post-war security, with 2,800 troops from 11 countries set to take part in a major military exercise in Poland to rehearse a potential deployment aimed at deterring future Russian aggression. The exercise comes as European nations step up efforts to build security guarantees for Kyiv and prevent Moscow from launching another offensive once hostilities end.
According to a report by Defense News, the exercise, named KOALICJA 26.2, will be held from November 9 to 22 under the joint leadership of Britain and France. Troops from 11 countries will participate in the drills, which are designed to test how a multinational force could operate in support of Ukraine after a ceasefire. The exercise will involve land, air and maritime operations, including troop movements, logistical coordination, force protection and the integration of military command structures.
Britain and France are leading the preparations, while Poland will play a key role in hosting the drills and facilitating military movements. The air component will involve British RAF Typhoon fighter jets and Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft, while Turkey will separately prepare for maritime operations, including mine-clearing activities in the Black Sea. The exercise will also test how participating countries can coordinate military resources and support operations across different domains.
Ukraine's post-war security guarantees
For Ukraine, the proposed deployment is part of a broader effort to secure long-term guarantees against another Russian invasion. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly stressed that any peace agreement must be backed by clear commitments from western allies on how they would respond if Moscow resumes its military offensive. In an interview, Zelenskyy said he wanted the arrangements to be clearly defined in writing. "If Russia starts (attacking) again, what will happen? Who will do what, with what means, and when?" he said, according to the Associated Press.
The issue has also featured prominently in discussions among European leaders. At a January 6 meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron, Then-British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Zelenskyy backed a framework for security guarantees that would include a multinational force, continued military assistance and commitments to respond to any future Russian attack. Macron said the guarantees were essential to ensure that a peace agreement did not become "a new threat to Ukraine".
The proposed multinational force would therefore form one part of a wider security arrangement rather than act as Ukraine's sole line of defence. The Ukrainian armed forces would remain central to deterring Russian aggression, with European allies committing to long-term weapons supplies, training, intelligence cooperation and military assistance. The force would be deployed only after a credible cessation of hostilities and at Kyiv's request.
The proposed multinational deployment has faced strong opposition from Moscow, with Russian President Vladimir Putin repeatedly warning European countries against sending troops to Ukraine, even under a post-war security arrangement. In September 2026, Putin warned that deploying European military contingents, including peacekeeping forces, would risk triggering a direct confrontation with Russia. "This would mean war with Russia," he said, according to a report by The Washington Post. Moscow has maintained that the presence of foreign military contingents in Ukraine would pose a threat to Russian security. Following the January 2026 meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris, Russia's foreign ministry warned that Western military units and infrastructure deployed in Ukraine would be treated as legitimate combat targets of the Russian armed forces.
