:TABLE [title:Exercise Koalicja - participants and known troop numbers, links:https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20261103-multinational-ukraine-force-to-hold-first-exercise-in-poland] Country | Troops confirmed πŸ‡«πŸ‡· France | 1,100 (largest contingent) πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ United Kingdom | 300 πŸ‡§πŸ‡ͺ Belgium | not disclosed πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Germany | not disclosed πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡ͺ Estonia | not disclosed πŸ‡±πŸ‡Ή Lithuania | not disclosed πŸ‡³πŸ‡± Netherlands | not disclosed πŸ‡΅πŸ‡± Poland | not disclosed πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡Έ Spain | not disclosed πŸ‡ΈπŸ‡ͺ Sweden | not disclosed Total (10 nations) | 2,800 :INFO What Exercise Koalicja tests The Multinational Force Ukraine (MNF-U) will spend 14 days in southeast Poland near Nowa Deba, about 100 km from the Ukrainian border, rehearsing the logistics of moving 2,800 personnel, equipment, fuel and food across borders quickly. A separate maritime simulation runs in parallel from Istanbul, led by Turkey, to test Black Sea mine-clearing readiness. Turkey is not part of the land exercise. β€’ Force co-led by French General Armel Dirou and British Lieutenant General Tom Bateman. β€’ Not a peacekeeping or ceasefire-monitoring mission: Bateman says its role is "to provide reassurance and support the regeneration of Ukraine's armed forces." β€’ Full exercise name: Koalicja 2026.2 -- the suffix suggests further drills are planned. :TIMELINE [links:https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/multinational-ukraine-force-hold-first-010314759.html] Coalition of the Willing: from pledge to first drill 2025-03-01 | UK, France and 32 others form the Coalition of the Willing in London 2025-09-01 | MNF-U strategic headquarters established at Fort Mont Valerian, Paris 2026-10-31 | Oleshky ceasefire expires after six days -- longest truce of the war 2026-11-03 | UK and France jointly announce Exercise Koalicja 2026-11-09 | Exercise Koalicja begins in southeast Poland 2026-11-22 | Exercise Koalicja ends :QUOTE [links:https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/multinational-ukraine-force-hold-first-010314759.html, quotetype:plain, subtitle:UK Defence Minister Wes Streeting] This isn't a hypothetical plan, it's a real force, ready to help Ukraine once the fighting stops. :STATS [links:https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20261103-multinational-ukraine-force-to-hold-first-exercise-in-poland] Nations in exercise | 10 Total troops | 2,800 Largest contingent | France (1,100) UK contribution | 300 soldiers Exercise dates | 9-22 November 2026 Location | Nowa Deba, southeast Poland Coalition of the Willing members | 34 countries (+Ukraine) MNF-U HQ | Fort Mont Valerian, Paris (est. Sep 2025) US involvement | Minimal -- not a NATO operation :CHECKLIST [links:https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20261103-european-force-to-hold-first-ukraine-support-exercise-in-poland] What must happen before troops enter Ukraine [ ] A ceasefire agreement between Ukraine and Russia [ ] Formal political mandate for MNF-U deployment (not yet issued) [ ] Ukraine's consent and request for the force [ ] Resolution of rules of engagement if troops are attacked inside Ukraine [ ] Further exercises planned (Koalicja 2026.2 naming implies more) [x] MNF-U operational headquarters established (Paris, Sep 2025) [x] Exercise Koalicja announced (3 Nov 2026) :INFO What is not yet known Russia has not commented on Exercise Koalicja but has previously warned foreign troops inside Ukraine would be treated as "legitimate military targets." No ceasefire is in place. The exercise tests logistics but the rules of engagement for the eventual deployment have not been publicly defined, and officials have declined to detail them. Individual country troop contributions beyond France (1,100) and the UK (300) have not been broken down publicly. :NOTE Sources: joint UK-France MNF-U statement (3 Nov 2026) via AFP; France24 / AFP wire (03:00Z, 3 Nov 2026) https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20261103-multinational-ukraine-force-to-hold-first-exercise-in-poland; BBC News (00:07Z, 3 Nov 2026); Yahoo News / AFP https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/multinational-ukraine-force-hold-first-010314759.html; France24 feature https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20261103-european-force-to-hold-first-ukraine-support-exercise-in-poland :LINK https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20261103-multinational-ukraine-force-to-hold-first-exercise-in-poland MNF-U first exercise announced -- France24 / AFP wire :LINK https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/multinational-ukraine-force-hold-first-010314759.html Multinational Ukraine force first exercise in Poland -- AFP via Yahoo News :LINK https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20261103-european-force-to-hold-first-ukraine-support-exercise-in-poland European force to hold first Ukraine support exercise -- France24