EUAM Ukraine Deepens Cooperation with National Guard of Ukraine and French National Gendarmerie
January 05, 2026
On 31 December 2025, the European Union Advisory Mission (EUAM) Ukraine held a high-level meeting in Kyiv with the senior commanders of the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU) and the French National Gendarmerie.
The meeting brought together Brigadier General Oleksandr Pivnenko, Commander of the National Guard of Ukraine, and Army General Hubert Bonneau, Director General of the French National Gendarmerie. The EUAM delegation was led by Head of Mission Rolf Holmboe, supported by Chief of Staff Jean-Michel Blaudez and Head of Police Unit Guillaume Dinh.
Brigadier General Pivnenko thanked EUAM for hosting the meeting and underlined the value of sustained cooperation and practical support provided to the NGU, particularly in the context of the ongoing war. He stressed the importance of international partnerships for strengthening operational readiness and institutional resilience.
Army General Bonneau welcomed the opportunity for direct engagement with the National Guard leadership and EUAM. Reflecting on the NGU’s development since its establishment in 2014, he highlighted the pace of institutional change. “I am impressed by how quickly the National Guard has evolved. This experience is inspiring and contributes directly to strengthening the resilience of the country and its people,” he said.
During the meeting, Head of Mission Rolf Holmboe presented EUAM’s mandate and underlined the need for support for emerging priorities such as veteran rehabilitation and reintegration and addressing hybrid threats. “Threats and challenges are constantly changing,” he underlined. “Our role is to remain flexible and adapt our support to the real needs of our Ukrainian counterparts.”
Jean-Michel Blaudez briefed the delegations on EUAM’s joint work with the European Gendarmerie Force (EUROGENDFOR) in support of Ukrainian partners, with particular focus on cooperation with the National Guard. He highlighted the delivery of equipment supporting National Guard in their key role in war-affected areas. This assistance has strengthened the National Guard’s operational capacity for tasks such as civilian protection and evacuation from frontline areas.
Particular attention was given to stability policing training delivered by a specialised EUROGENDFOR team in 2024. The training focused on building a sustainable Ukrainian pre-deployment training capability by training of trainers and development of Stability Policing concepts and training curricula, covering capabilities such as checkpoint operations, mine awareness, first aid protection of civilians, public safety, and the safeguarding of sensitive sites and securing evidence in possible war crimes’ sites. The training contributed to further enhanced interoperability between the National Guard and the National Police.
At the same time, discussions acknowledged that sustained exposure to war-related stress and traumatic events places a heavy psychological burden on Ukrainian law enforcement personnel. In response, EUAM Ukraine, together with another specialised EUROGENDFOR team, delivered EU-certified Training of Trainers courses in 2025 on Psychological First Aid. Jean-Michel Blaudez explained that the programme equipped psychologists from institutions under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, including the National Guard, with accredited skills to cascade psychological support across their services, enhancing resilience within the civilian security sector.
Guillaume Dinh further updated participants on EUAM’s broader work on mental health support, including a Dutch-funded and supported project to establish peer-to-peer support mechanisms in law enforcement agencies. This “Blue Haven for Ukraine” project will expand support for the agencies, including the National Guard, to address stress and trauma linked to the ongoing war.
Guillaume DINH also highlighted the ongoing consultations on possible enhanced EUAM support to Ukrainian authorities in building strategies and capabilities to counter hybrid threats, organized crime and trafficking of small arms and light weapons, as well as ensure the protection of critical infrastructure.
The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of the National Guard of Ukraine, EUAM and the French National Gendarmerie to deepen practical cooperation to strengthen institutional resilience and continue joint efforts in support of Ukraine’s civilian security sector reform and European integration.
