European armed forces are preparing exercises involving thousands of troops to rehearse a potential deployment to Ukraine should a formal peace agreement be reached, Western officials said.
Officials emphasised that the planned force would be intended for non-offensive tasks and would not take part in combat operations. They described the rehearsals as a way to test the practical arrangements needed for a rapid and coordinated response in a post-conflict environment.
Those involved, the officials said, will focus on the logistics and command-and-control arrangements necessary to move and sustain a large multinational contingent. The exercises are being framed as preparatory steps that would allow participating nations to assess readiness and interoperability ahead of any political decision to send troops.
Western representatives underlined the political sensitivity of deploying foreign forces to Ukraine and said the strict non-offensive mandate is designed to limit the risk of escalation. Any actual deployment, they added, would be subject to national political approvals and further diplomatic consultations with Ukrainian authorities and international partners.
The rehearsals reflect efforts by European countries to plan for a range of post-conflict scenarios. Officials said the work is intended to speed up decision-making and reduce the time needed to put personnel and equipment in place if circumstances allow for a monitored and peaceful transition.