Germany to send tanker aircraft and officers to first Coalition of the Willing drill

Germany's contribution

The German defence ministry has confirmed to the dpa news agency that the Bundeswehr will take part in the first military exercise of the Coalition of the Willing for Ukraine. Berlin plans to commit about ten staff officers, up to two A400M transport aircraft for mid-air refuelling, and logistical support. The two aircraft would operate from German territory, and German authorities would help move allied troops across Germany to the exercise area. A ministry spokesperson described the participation as a sign of unity with the coalition's partners. Germany already serves as a hub for troop movements toward the east, and the logistics package covers transfers across its territory.

Where and when

The exercise is set for November in Poland, in the airspace over Romania and in the western Black Sea. The Polish name for it is Koalicja 2026, and the reports give no exact dates. It will be the first test of the operational readiness of the multinational force that Ukraine's allies are assembling under French and British leadership. That force is intended to secure a possible future peace agreement with Russia. About 35 states belong to the coalition, which was set up in early 2025 to support Ukraine.

What the force is for

The multinational force was agreed at a Ukraine summit in Berlin in December 2025. Emmanuel Macron said in mid-July that the force was operational and announced that the first exercises would take place this autumn in countries bordering Ukraine. He said the drills should demonstrate readiness, resolve and credibility across land, air and sea. Germany agreed to take part after initial hesitation, but the reports say that decision does not settle the shape of its involvement.

Open questions on scale

Official figures for troop numbers have not been published. In October, the British defence minister spoke of thousands of soldiers during a visit to Washington. The Times has reported that 1,500 French, British and German troops will take part in total, a figure officials have not confirmed. Germany's final role depends on decisions by its federal government and Bundestag. Merz said in July:

“The federal government and the Bundestag will also decide on the nature and scope of the German contribution.”

The reports do not say when those decisions will be taken.