A FRENCH MILITARY BASE, FRANCE — French President Emmanuel Macron inspected the training of Ukrainian troops at a military camp in eastern France on Wednesday, a show of support for Ukraine as its Western allies mull a victory plan championed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian brigade that Macron visited is being battle-readied and armed by France for front-line deployment against the Russian invasion. For security reasons, Macron’s office said the base’s specific location could not be reported.
French military personnel are training 2,300 Ukrainian soldiers at the camp, teaching them how to use and maintain French-supplied weapons, and subjecting them to combat-like conditions, with stress, noise and drones.
It’s the first time Macron has met with some of the 15,000 Ukrainian troops that France has trained since the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, including several thousand put through training courses in Poland.
The new Ukrainian Brigade No. 155 will eventually be made up of 4,500 troops. Of those, 2,300 are being trained in France, forming three battalions of infantry, plus engineers, artillery teams and other specialists. The brigade’s other battalions will be trained by Ukraine, to take the brigade’s total strength to 4,500 soldiers.
France is also equipping the brigade with an array of weaponry, plus training to use and maintain it. Macron’s office said the brigade will get 128 armored troop carriers, 18 Caesar artillery pieces and 18 AMX light tanks, plus Milan anti-tank missiles and heavy trucks. Macron has pledged up to 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) worth of military aid for Ukraine this year, his office said.
Macron’s office said the training has been adapted to front-line conditions that Ukrainian troops are encountering in the fight against Russia’s invasion forces. Training trenches have been dug using methods and layouts similar to those in Ukraine. Around 1,500 French military personnel are involved in the brigade’s training over several months.
Macron's renewed focus on Ukraine also reflects how shifting politics in France have weakened his sway over domestic affairs. His decision to call surprise legislative elections in June backfired, leaving him with a minority government and strengthening the hand of his opponents in parliament. The government late Tuesday survived a no-confidence vote, the first of what threatens to be repeated efforts by Macron's foes to bring down Prime Minister Michel Barnier in the months ahead.
Inspecting the Ukrainian troops being trained for front-line combat and on French-supplied weapons systems will highlight that Macron's influence in defense and foreign affairs remains largely intact.
