Thousands have registered for a new Ukrainian volunteer military unit in Poland, announced by Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski at the NATO Public Forum in Washington during a NATO summit, according to Interfax Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Legion, officially established under a security agreement signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on 8 July, will consist of Ukrainians trained in Poland and equipped with support from Ukraine’s allies.
Sikorski emphasized that while many volunteers are eager to support their fellow citizens, they insist on receiving adequate training and equipment first. He noted that Poland’s plan involves preparing these volunteers and then offering them to Ukraine as a unit with the right to return after their rotation ends.
“If every European country did this, Ukraine would have several brigades,” the minister said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that citizens who join the legion can sign contracts with the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has also called on all Ukrainians in Europe to join this special voluntary unit, which will be trained on Polish soil to defend Ukraine. Volunteers will reportedly receive modern training from allies in Poland, Lithuania, and other EU countries, and the legion will be equipped with the best equipment provided by Ukraine’s international partners to enhance battlefield effectiveness.
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