Multinational 'coalition of the willing' exercises in Poland to launch NATO's eastern flank military shift

Multinational 'coalition of the willing' exercises will be held in Poland in September 2026, marking the first practical step in the operational deployment of the Multinational Force for Ukraine (MNF-U). The drills aim to prepare MNF-U to provide security guarantees for Ukraine after the conflict ends. The exercises will simulate the full cycle of MNF-U operations, including the deployment of heavy armored equipment and personnel from Western Europe, establishing a layered air and missile defense system, and training troop coordination without reliance on U.S. command systems. The creation of the multinational contingent was formalized in the Paris Declaration of January 6, 2026. According to the declaration, following a hypothetical ceasefire and at Kyiv's request, coalition forces would enter Ukraine to conduct air, land, and maritime deterrence operations, demine territories, protect sea routes, rebuild Ukraine's security and defense forces, integrate command and communication systems, and protect civilians and infrastructure with the right to use force under international law. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that Warsaw has begun administrative, logistical, and financial preparations to ensure a permanent, not rotational, presence of allied troops, including permanent French and British contingents alongside U.S. units. Maria Zakharova noted that the deployment of the 'coalition of the willing' in Ukraine would be a legitimate military target for Russia, calling such presence unacceptable.