“This package will send a clear message to the Kremlin,” Boris Johnson said. (file)
London:
Britain is preparing to offer NATO a “major” deployment of troops, weapons, warships and jets to Europe, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Saturday in response to growing “Russian hostility” towards Ukraine.
His office said the proposal, to be presented to NATO military chiefs next week, could see London have nearly 1,150 UK troops currently in Eastern European countries and double the “defensive armament” sent to Estonia.
“This package will send a clear message to the Kremlin – we will not tolerate their destabilizing activity, and we will always face Russian hostilities with our NATO allies,” Johnson said in a statement late Saturday.
“I have ordered our armed forces to prepare for deployment across Europe next week, ensuring that we are able to support our NATO allies on land, at sea and in the air,” he said.
The British leader said that if Russian President Putin chose “bloodshed and destruction” in Ukraine, it would be “a tragedy for Europe”.
“Ukraine should be free to choose its future,” he argued.
Johnson, who has been under intense political pressure for weeks after a series of scandals, said on Friday he would speak to Putin in the coming days and urged him to ease tensions on Ukraine.
Meanwhile, he is scheduled to visit the area next week.
Relations between Russia and the West are at their lowest level since the Cold War as Moscow has deployed thousands of troops to Ukraine’s border.
‘Help’
Britain’s foreign ministry is expected to announce a toughening of its sanctions regime on Russia in parliament on Monday, targeting strategic and financial interests.
Meanwhile, UK officials will be sent to NATO headquarters Brussels to finalize the details of the military proposal after ministers discuss various options on Monday.
Britain’s Chief of Defense Staff, Chief of Armed Forces Tony Radakin will brief the cabinet on the situation in Ukraine the next day.
According to Johnson’s office, the possible deployment of troops and weapons, along with aircraft, warships and military specialists, would strengthen NATO’s defenses and “undermine the UK’s support for the Nordic and Baltic partners”.
Britain already has more than 900 military personnel based in Estonia, and more than 100 are currently in Ukraine as part of a training mission that began in 2015.
Meanwhile, a light cavalry contingent of about 150 personnel is stationed in Poland.
The battleship HMS Prince of Wales – currently leading NATO’s Maritime High Readiness Force, in the so-called “high north” European Arctic region – was to move “within hours,” Downing Street said.
On the diplomatic front, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace are preparing to fly to Moscow for talks with their counterparts in the coming days.
Johnson’s office said he would be asked to “improve relations with President Putin’s government and encourage de-escalation.”
Wallace is also set to travel next week to meet with colleagues in Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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