Kyiv says EU countries to train 30,000 Ukraine troops in 2023

Kyiv said on Tuesday (June 20) that European Union member states are planning to train 30,000 members of Ukraine's armed forces this year. The members of the armed forces also include territorial defence units.

The defence ministry in Kyiv said, "In 2023, the EU Military Assistance Mission for Ukraine plans to train 30,000 Ukrainian armed forces personnel, including soldiers of the territorial defence forces."

The statement comes after EU officials made a pledge earlier this year in February that it would train 30,000 Ukrainian troops, building on an initial target of 15,000 personnel.

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EU offers Ukraine over 50 billion dollars through 2027

The EU said on Tuesday that it will provide Ukraine with $54.58 billion in aid for 2024-27. EU's president said ahead of a gathering in London to secure short-term financing and money to rebuild the nation from Russia's war.

For the first part of a "Green Marshall Plan" for reconstruction, Ukraine asked up to $40 billion from the London conference starting on Wednesday.

According to the World Bank estimates, the war-ravaged nation needs more than $400 billion over a decade, which is three times Ukraine's GDP.

Rostyslav Shurma, who is a deputy head of President Volodymyr Zelensky's office, told Reuters the first focus would be the iron and steel industry.

The news agency said in its report that in 2021, the sector provided around 10% of Ukrainian GDP, a third of export income, and employed over 600,000 people. Shurma said that it accounted for 15% of the country's carbon emissions. The official said that he believes there is now a potential to establish an economy based on renewable energy.

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"If you have to rebuild, it is logical to rebuild green in line with new technologies ... Our vision is to build a 50 million tonnes green steel industry in Ukraine," he said.

Shurma added that many of the country's damaged legacy steel plants were built in locations that suited their reliance on coal as a power source, but now, they were free to build closer to the iron ore deposits and away from the Donbas region.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the aim was to "provide predictable finance to Ukraine on its EU path, together with global partners and the private sector."

At a conference aimed at encouraging private companies to invest in the country's reconstruction after Russia's invasion, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he would set out a new assistance package for Ukraine.

(With inputs from agencies)

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