Listen: What is Europe’s military exercise in Poland really for?

A military exercise involving 2,800 troops from 11 countries will take place in Poland, focusing on security guarantees for Ukraine. This initiative, separate from NATO, aims to demonstrate European capabilities and readiness to support Ukraine post-conflict. The exercise will test coordination among land, air, and naval forces, with France leading the contingent. While commitments exist for future support, the specifics of these guarantees remain ambiguous. France and the UK have pledged troops if a peace deal is reached, but there is no consensus within the EU or NATO on this approach. Diplomatic efforts continue as a trilateral meeting is scheduled between Russia, Ukraine, and the US.