Germany will participate with aircraft in the first military exercise of the Coalition of the Willing for Ukraine, which will also partly take place in Romania

Germany will participate with military personnel, two A400M aircraft for in-flight refueling, and logistical support in the first exercise of the Coalition of the Willing for Ukraine, scheduled for November in Poland, in Romania’s airspace and over the western Black Sea.

The German Ministry of Defense announced that Berlin will send ten officers, while the aircraft will operate from German territory. The German army will also support the movement of allied troops through Germany. Participation in the exercise called Koalicja 2026 is presented by the German authorities as a sign of unity with its partners.

The maneuvers will be the first test of operational readiness for the multinational force created by Ukraine’s allies under the leadership of France and the United Kingdom. It is expected to contribute to guaranteeing a potential peace agreement with Russia.

The Coalition of the Willing was agreed in December at the Ukraine summit held in Berlin and brings together approximately 35 states. In July, French President Emmanuel Macron declared that the military force was operational. The number of participants in the November exercise has not been officially confirmed, but the British press reported that approximately 1,500 French, British, and German troops might take part.