Russian Media: UK and France Lead "Volunteer Alliance" to Conduct Troop Deployment Exercises in Poland for Ukraine

Reference News Network reported on July 23 According to the Russian newspaper "Izvestia" website on July 21, military exercises to be held in Poland under the leadership of the UK and France may be preparations for sending troops to Ukraine.

The report states that on July 13, leaders of the "Volunteer Alliance" agreed at a meeting in Paris to conduct military task force exercises, simulating the deployment of troops within Ukraine after a ceasefire. Polish Prime Minister Tusk subsequently stated that the exercises would take place in the fall within Poland. German Chancellor Merz said that in addition to the British and French forces, which make up the core of the expeditionary force, the German military may also join.

European Parliament member Fernand Cartez told "Izvestia": "This exercise seems not only aimed at improving the operational coordination of the allies but also preparing for the deployment of troops to Ukraine."

Bulgarian European Parliament member Petar Volkin stated that the plan to deploy European forces in Ukraine aims to prolong the conflict, and the leadership of the EU and most member states is doing everything possible to provoke Russia.

Russian experts agree with this view. Vladimir Shapovalov, deputy director of the Institute of History and Political Studies at Moscow State Pedagogical University, believes that the military exercises in Poland could serve as a platform for rehearsing the entry of Western troops into Ukraine. Analyst Tigran Meloyan from the Higher School of Economics' Mediterranean Research Center stated that the final stage of military preparations should be the establishment of a joint command, which will be responsible for planning and implementing troop deployments to Ukraine.

It is important to note that the military capabilities of the "Volunteer Alliance" are limited. The initial plan to send 30,000 to 50,000 soldiers to Ukraine has been gradually abandoned. According to media reports, after signing a letter of intent in Paris in January, the final size of the British-French coalition was set at 15,000, with the main tasks being equipment maintenance, training the Ukrainian military, and building defense infrastructure. In other words, a complete blockade of the entire front line is considered impossible.

The position of the United States also plays an important role. Currently, Washington is trying to shift the supply and future security issues of Ukraine entirely onto Europe. However, it is impossible for the U.S. to be completely uninvolved. According to Western media reports, leaders of the "Volunteer Alliance" are requesting intelligence support and air cover from the U.S., while U.S. President Trump has not made any guarantees.

Shapovalov stated that not all members of the "Volunteer Alliance" agree to send troops to Ukraine. The UK, Baltic states, and France have officially expressed their willingness to send troops. Estonia only plans to send a company. Therefore, in any case, the main responsibility will fall on London and Paris. There are more countries within the "Volunteer Alliance" that oppose sending troops. Italy has consistently opposed sending a military task force to Ukraine, and Madrid has also stated that there are no such plans. Most European countries do not want to risk responding to such initiatives without authorization from the United Nations Security Council.

Andrei Kelin, Russia's ambassador to the UK, told "Izvestia" that the exercises in Poland are a "show" by the "Volunteer Alliance," aimed at demonstrating unity in the face of the issue of countering Russia.

The diplomat said: "I do not believe that the upcoming 'soldier gathering' in Poland will evolve into a large-scale operation. In the current situation, our opponents need to put on a show to demonstrate their determination and unity in countering the so-called 'Russian threat.'

At the same time, Kelin emphasized that Russia's position remains consistent—deploying foreign troops and military bases within Ukraine is absolutely unacceptable. Other Russian officials have also repeatedly reiterated this position. Moscow has pointed out that the key to resolving the conflict lies in eliminating its root causes, rather than deploying peacekeeping personnel.

Meloyan stated that if the "Volunteer Alliance" ultimately decides to send troops to Ukraine without Moscow's consent, then Russia may issue formal warnings to European embassies in the first phase—that their troops will be considered legitimate military targets by the Russian armed forces. The expert believes that in terms of military measures, Russia may increase its strikes near the borders of Poland and Slovakia to demonstrate its capability for high-frequency strikes on targets far from the contact line. Moscow may also employ precision long-range weapons for this purpose. (Translated by Li Ran)