Poroshenko Approves Plan for Foreign Troops to Join Drills in Ukraine

Up to 5,000 troops from NATO members as well as countries who are part of NATO's broader Partnership for Peace program will be allowed to participate in the drills on the Ukrainian territory in 2016, according to Ukrainian President's decree.

KIEV (Sputnik) — Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko approved Saturday a plan of admission of foreign armed forces for drills in Ukraine in 2016, stipulating potential participation of several thousand NATO troops.

"To approve the plan of multinational exercises with the participation of units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the territory of Ukraine and their participation in the multinational exercises outside Ukraine for 2016," a decree published on Poroshenko’s official website said.

According to the decree, up to 5,000 troops from NATO members as well as countries who are part of NATO's broader Partnership for Peace program will be allowed to participate in the drills on the Ukrainian territory in 2016. The decree also stipulates that weapons and military equipment, including 12 aircraft and helicopters, could be used in the drills.

Ukraine hosted a number of NATO military exercises this year, including Saber Guardian/Rapid Trident-2015 and the Sea Breeze naval drills.

As part of its security assistance program launched in 2014 amid a conflict in Ukraine, the United States has sent several hundred military instructors to the crisis-torn country.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that NATO members must realize that military drills in Ukraine could undermine a peaceful settlement to the conflict in the southeast of the country.