The EU is moving toward training thousands of Ukrainian soldiers on its own soil

A Ukrainian serviceman checks the trenches dug by Russian soldiers in a retaken area in the Kherson region, Ukraine, on Oct. 12, 2022. (Leo Correa/AP)

The European Union will train thousands of Ukrainian soldiers on its own soil starting as early as next month under a plan that is expected to be approved Monday by EU foreign ministers.

The EU has been debating for months on how to best aid Ukrainian forces as the war drags on. With Russia working to mobilize an additional 300,000 troops for the war, turning ordinary people into soldiers is crucial for Ukraine, which, despite recent gains, remains heavily outnumbered on the battlefield.