KIEV (Sputnik) – Specialists from the United States will participate in military exercises in Ukraine’s western Lviv Region in April, the Ukrainian president’s press secretary said Thursday.
In early March, the US government announced that it had deployed 300 military personnel to Ukraine for a joint training mission at a peacekeeping center near Lviv. Later, the US Army Europe Commander said the training had been delayed to give more time for the reconciliation process between Kiev and eastern Ukraine's independence militias.
“National Guard exercises with the participation of American specialists will be held in April at the Yavoriv Range,” Svyatoslav Tsegolko said on his Twitter account citing Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
On March 17, the Ukrainian parliament approved a bill allowing foreign troops to participate in a number of joint military exercises with the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 2015.
Ukraine is planning to hold three joint exercises with US troops — Fearless Guardian 2015, Sea Breeze 2015 and Saber Guardian/Rapid Trident 2015 later this year. Kiev also plans two joint drills with Poland.
The United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Poland have expressed their intention to send military advisers to Ukraine to train its troops.
