Nfter US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also announced plans to increase NATO’s military presence in Eastern Europe. As Johnson announced on Saturday evening, London wants to offer NATO to double the number of British troops in the region in response to increasing “Russian hostility” towards Ukraine. Around 1,150 British soldiers are currently stationed in Eastern Europe.
According to the information, London also wants to relocate weapons, warships and combat aircraft to Eastern Europe in addition to the additional soldiers. Estonia is also to receive “defensive weapons”.
The offer, which the British government intends to officially make to NATO military chiefs next week, is intended to “send a clear message to the Kremlin,” as Johnson explained. “We will not condone his destabilizing activities and always stand by our NATO allies in the face of Russian hostilities.”
military readiness
That’s why he ordered the British military to prepare for a deployment in Europe in the coming week “to ensure that we can support our NATO allies on land, sea and air,” Johnson added.
If Russian President Vladimir Putin opts for “bloodshed and destruction in Ukraine,” it would be “a tragedy for all of Europe,” Johnson said. Ukraine must be free to decide about its own future.
Continuation of telephone diplomacy
Johnson had already announced on Friday that he would discuss the Ukraine conflict in a telephone call with Putin in the coming days. He also wants to travel to the region in the coming week.
According to Western sources, Russia has massed more than 100,000 soldiers on the Ukrainian border. The West is therefore concerned that Russia is preparing to invade the neighboring country after annexing Crimea in 2014.
Against the background of the tensions, NATO announced earlier this week that it would increase its military presence in Eastern Europe. Biden announced on Friday that he would move more US troops to NATO countries in Eastern Europe. France plans to send several hundred troops to Romania as part of a possible defensive operation on NATO’s eastern flank, Defense Minister Florence Parly announced on Saturday.
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