US soldiers march during the opening ceremony of the “Rapid Trident-2017” war games at the Yavoriv shooting range near the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on September 11, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

The annual Rapid Trident military maneuvers commenced on Monday, involving 2,500 troops from 15 NATO members and are due to continue until September 23.

Colonel Sergei Litvinov, co-director of the exercise, said the Ukrainian army wants to learn from their colleagues’ experience.

The military exercise was launched just days ahead of major Russian maneuvers with Belarus, named “Zapad 2017”. Moscow says the military drills will involve nearly 13,000 troops, adding that Zapad is framed as a defense-oriented exercise and aimed at helping Belarus tighten security.