The United Kingdom announced today that it will offer NATO to make a large deployment of British troops and weapons in Europe, amid growing tensions with Russia over the situation on the Ukrainian border.
I have ordered our armed forces to prepare to deploy to Europe starting next week, to demonstrate that we are capable of supporting our North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO) allies by sea, air and land, said the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a statement released by his office.
According to the text, London would be considering doubling the number of troops in the region, and sending defensive weapons to Estonia, where it already has some 900 soldiers, in addition to a hundred in Ukraine. In Poland there are another 150 soldiers of the Light Cavalry Squadron.
Johnson’s office also reported Saturday that British government officials will travel to Brussels next week to finalize details of the deployment.
It was also announced that the British conservative leader plans to visit Eastern Europe in the coming days, although without specifying the countries where he will be, and to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The United Kingdom, the United States and the rest of the NATO members accuse Russia of wanting to invade Ukraine, whose government has requested membership in the military alliance led by Washington.
The Russian government maintains more than 100,000 soldiers near the Ukrainian border, but denies any plans to attack, saying its troops are moving within its own territory for purely defensive purposes.
Amid escalating tensions with Moscow, London weeks ago sent 2,000 light anti-tank weapons to Kiev, and military personnel to train Ukrainian soldiers in their handling.
