Polish general to lead EU training effort for Ukrainian soldiers

A Polish general has been put in charge of the European Union’s new training programme for Ukrainian soldiers, news outlets have reported.

Gen. Piotr Trytek.

Twitter/Mariusz Błaszczak

Gen. Piotr Trytek has been named the operational commander of the EU Military Assistance Mission for Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine), which is set to provide training for Ukrainian troops, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

Trytek’s appointment was announced by Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak.

Błaszczak said in a tweet : “A Polish officer, Div. Gen. Piotr Trytek, the commander of the 11th ‘Lubuska’ Armoured Cavalry Division, will head the international training mission for Ukraine’s army.”

Polski oficer, gen. dyw. Piotr Trytek dowódca @11LDKPanc stanie na czele międzynarodowej misji szkoleń dla wojsk 🇺🇦. Bedzie koordynował działania szkoleniowe na rzecz ukraińskich żołnierzy. To ogromna odpowiedzialność, ale także uznanie pozycji Polski na arenie międzynarodowej. pic.twitter.com/p9HCwbwLNq

— Mariusz Błaszczak (@mblaszczak) October 27, 2022

Błaszczak added that Trytek “will oversee training measures for Ukrainian soldiers.”

“It’s a huge responsibility, but also recognition of Poland's position in the international arena,” the defence minister said.

Trytek’s military experience includes tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, reporters were told. 

EU training mission for Ukrainian soldiers

Approved by EU foreign ministers, including Poland’s Zbigniew Rau, on October 17, the bloc's Military Assistance Mission for Ukraine is designed to provide individual, collective and specialised training for the Ukrainian armed forces, including the country’s territorial army, according to officials.

The mission will also coordinate and synchronise the policies of member states in the delivery of such training courses, officials said.

EUMAM-Ukraine gets a green light.

At Kyiv's request, EU foreign ministers have agreed to set up the first Military Assistance Mission to train Ukraine’s armed forces.

Ministers also approved the next €500 million reimbursement for EU governments' arms supplies to Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/YHvvWoGYMa

— DW Europe (@dw_europe) October 17, 2022

EUMAM Ukraine will operate in EU member states, with a headquarters at the bloc’s diplomatic service, the European External Action Service (EEAS), in Brussels, Belgium, reporters were told.

The Mission Commander is Vice Admiral Hervé Bléjean, the director of the EEAS’s Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC), officials announced.

EUMAM Ukraine will also have operational headquarters in Poland and Germany, while most of the training will take place in Poland, the PAP news agency reported. 

FM @RauZbigniew in #Luxembourg:

The decision of launching a Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine has a great importance for 🇺🇦, 🇪🇺 and 🇵🇱.

Poland is ready to be a solid host of the #EUMAM. pic.twitter.com/ufngkFSc1r

— Poland in the EU (@PLPermRepEU) October 17, 2022

The mission aims to initially train up to 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers, according to public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency.

Friday is day 247 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

(pm/gs)

Source: PAP, wnp.pl, consilium.europa.eu