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Türkiye will lead a maritime simulation from Istanbul to prepare for possible mine-clearing operations in the Black Sea as part of the first exercise of a European-led multinational force intended to support Ukraine after a ceasefire, the U.K. and France said Tuesday.
The Multinational Force - Ukraine (MNF-U), led by France and Britain, will hold the exercise, dubbed Koalicja (“Coalition” in Polish), from Nov. 9 to 22 in southeast Poland with about 2,800 troops from 10 European countries, according to a joint statement.
Turkish troops will not take part in the land exercise in Poland, the statement said, Euronews reported.
The force, set up in 2025 with an operational headquarters in Paris, aims to support Ukraine’s armed forces, secure Ukrainian airspace and allow economic activity to resume in the Black Sea.
It is not a NATO operation and has little U.S. involvement.
It has no offensive mission and will only deploy once a ceasefire ends the war, officials said.
"The exercise will allow the testing of the speed and efficiency at which several nations can deploy forces on land, sea and air to support Ukraine once hostilities have finished," the French Defense Ministry said.
"This isn’t a hypothetical plan, it’s a real force, ready to help Ukraine once the fighting stops," U.K. Defense Minister Wes Streeting said.
France will send the largest contingent of 1,100 troops and Britain 300, joined by RAF Typhoon jets. Belgium, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden will also take part in air and land operations around Nowa Deba, about 100 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
"It is not designed for offensive operations. Its purpose is to provide reassurance and support the regeneration of Ukraine’s armed forces, strengthening their ability to deter and, if necessary, defend against future Russian aggression," said British Lt. Gen. Tom Bateman, who will co-lead the exercise.
"This is not a show of force. We are not going to flex our muscles," said French Maj. Gen. Armel Dirou. Only light equipment such as drones, and no tanks, will be deployed.
Western officials who spoke to Agence France-Presse (AFP) said rules of engagement are being prepared in case Russia attacks the force. "We will be ready to respond as necessary, in order to make sure that we protect our force," an official said.
The scale of the exercise risks antagonizing Moscow, which has shown little appetite for peace.
Türkiye, which controls passage through the Turkish Straits under the Montreux Convention, has stepped up diplomacy on Black Sea security as attacks on shipping surge, with its role in Black Sea mine-clearing preparations adding to that effort.
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