[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Ukraine is reported to have conducted large-scale military exercises in Lviv, a border area with Poland, alongside allied countries including the United States, Poland, and Lithuania, which are confronting Russia. This move is interpreted as a demonstration of solidarity with Eastern European countries following the recent agreement between the U.S. and Germany to complete the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project between Germany and Russia, and as an effort to contain Russia.
According to foreign media such as the Associated Press on the 27th (local time), the Ukrainian military conducted large-scale military exercises in the Lviv area, located in western Ukraine near the border with Poland, together with U.S., Polish, and Lithuanian forces. The exercise involved 1,200 troops from four countries and over 200 combat vehicles simultaneously, and it is known that Russia has strongly protested this.
After conducting large-scale joint naval exercises in the Black Sea last month with the U.S. and about 30 allied countries, Ukraine has immediately proceeded with military exercises in the border area to contain Russia. In particular, this exercise is analyzed as a reaffirmation of the U.S. commitment to support Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania, who opposed the recent agreement between the U.S. government and Germany on the completion of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
According to the U.S. political media outlet Politico, this exercise also serves to showcase the alliance between the two countries ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the White House scheduled for the 30th of next month. Previously, President Zelensky was expected to hold a summit with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House this month, but the visit was postponed to the end of next month due to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit taking precedence.
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