Britain may double the number of troops in Estonia against the backdrop of the situation around Ukraine London intends to reach agreements with NATO this week allowed the sending of troops to Europe to support NATO” />
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson
The UK is considering increasing its contribution to NATO against the backdrop of the situation around Ukraine, the government of the Kingdom reported, reports The Telegraph.
In particular, the country can double the number of troops in Estonia, increasing it from 900 to 1800. In addition, London plans to provide the Baltic countries with Apache helicopters and send warships and fighter jets to Eastern Europe. The final decision will be made in talks with the alliance in Brussels this week.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson says this “will send a clear message.” Moscow, which, according to a number of Western states, is preparing an invasion of Ukraine.
“We will not tolerate them (Russia.— RBC) destabilizing actions, and we will always support our NATO allies in the face of Russian aggression, — The publication quoted Johnson's statement.
The prime minister added that “if [Russian President Vladimir] Putin chooses the path of bloodshed and destruction, it will be a tragedy for all of Europe.”
According to the Minister of the Armed Forces of the Kingdom, James Heapey, the President of Russia “may be a couple of days from the order to invade.”
Earlier, a Downing Street spokesperson said that Johnson plans to discuss with Putin the situation around Ukraine in the coming days, “to strengthen diplomatic aspirations and containment to avoid bloodshed in Europe.” During the conversation, the British Prime Minister will say about the “need for Russia to back down and act diplomatically.”
In addition, Johnson plans to visit the countries of Eastern Europe.
In the next two weeks, British Foreign and Defense Ministers Liz Truss and Ben Wallace will visit Moscow.
On January 24, the North Atlantic Alliance announced that it would expand its military presence in Eastern Europe due to the situation with Ukraine. NATO countries will deploy ships and aircraft to the region.
In particular, Denmark will send a frigate to the Baltic Sea and four F-16 fighters to patrol the airspace— to Lithuania. The Netherlands will send two of the same fighters to Bulgaria, and a Dutch Navy ship and several ground units will join NATO's rapid reaction force. Spain is sending ships to join the alliance's naval forces and may send fighter jets to Bulgaria. France expressed its readiness to deploy troops under NATO command to Romania.
Romania expressed its readiness to host more NATO troops on its territory.
The United States is also exploring the possibility of increasing its military presence in Eastern Europe, NATO said. The New York Times wrote about the possibility of transferring American troops, aircraft and navy to the region. According to the publication's sources, US President Joe Biden may decide to send from 1,000 to 5,000 troops to Eastern European countries with the possibility of a “tenfold increase” if the situation worsens.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjartos said the United States had approached the country about the temporary deployment of its military. Hungarian Defense Minister Tibor Benkö then stated that the state does not see the need to deploy additional NATO units on its territory
NATO is not going to deploy combat units on the territory of Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed. He noted that it is necessary to distinguish support for NATO allies from support for Ukraine, which is not part of a military bloc.
The Russian side has repeatedly said that it does not plan to attack a neighboring country. Alexei Zaitsev, Deputy Director of the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on January 27 that the country does not even allow the thought of a war with Ukraine.
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