France to train and outfit another Ukrainian brigade with equipment, Zelenskyy says

On 29 October, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine has reached an agreement with the French government to outfit another Ukrainian army brigade with French weapons and equipment as part of ongoing military aid.

France has been among Ukraine’s strongest supporters in the EU, supplying weapons such as Caesar self-propelled guns and Scalp cruise missiles. The military aid of Ukraine’s allies includes training courses for the Ukrainian soldiers, both under the EU and national programs.

Zelenskyy stated:

“We are already partnering with others—France has equipped one brigade, and we have an agreement for another.”

According to the military news portal Militarnyi, the brigade Zelenskyy referenced as the one equipped by France is the newly formed 155th Mechanized Brigade named after Anna of Kyiv, which is in the process of being formed with 2,300 Ukrainian soldiers. Previously, on 9 October, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that France provided its own weaponry and armored vehicles to equip the Anna of Kyiv Brigade, and started its training.

Militarnyi suggests the additional brigade Zelenskyy mentioned is likely one of the 160th series brigades that began forming in France in August 2024.

Zelenskyy agains proposed the “Nordic Brigade” project, which would involve Scandinavian countries supporting the training and equipping of a Ukrainian battalion.

“We invite you to join us in building Scandinavian brigades, demonstrating your continued commitment to Europe’s defense,” he wrote.

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