Military instructors from Ukraine will help train the army of Germany as Berlin prepares its forces to defend against a potential attack from Russia by 2029, according to the German army's chief. This marks a reversal of roles after years of Western forces training Ukrainian troops.
Lieutenant General Christian Freuding told Reuters that Ukrainian soldiers bring unique battlefield experience from the ongoing war with Russia. Under a recent agreement between Berlin and Kyiv, Ukrainian instructors will visit German military schools to share expertise in areas such as artillery, drones, engineering and armoured operations.
Germany has already trained Ukrainian forces on equipment including Leopard tanks and air defence systems since Russia's 2022 invasion. Freuding said the cooperation reflects a growing security partnership and helps NATO members prepare for possible future threats.
As he states: "We have high expectations. The Ukrainian military is currently the only one in the world with frontline experience against Russia. (2029). That's almost the day after tomorrow. We have no time - the enemy doesn't wait for us to declare we're ready. So we have to use every possibility to prepare. The fact that they are now coming to us as instructors reflects a security partnership on an equal footing."