UK to deploy troops unprecedented since the Cold War as part of NATO maneuvers
The United Kingdom will deploy 20,000 troops this year as part of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) maneuvers unprecedented since the Cold War, Defense Minister Grant Shapps announced on Monday.
This deployment, which he described as ” most important “ for forty years for the British army within NATO, meets the ” threat “ represented by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Troops from the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and Army will be sent across Europe and beyond for the exercise, dubbed “Steadfast Defender”, planned for the first half of the year and which must bring together contingents from the thirty other NATO member countries as well as Sweden, a candidate for membership. Combat or surveillance aircraft as well as ships and submarines must participate.
In a speech at Lancaster House in London, Shapps stressed that NATO faces challenges “more important than ever” from Russia, China, Iran or North Korea, adding that the Alliance’s adversaries were “more connected” than ever.
He also invited his allies to increase their military spending, as the United Kingdom did by committing to increase it to 2.5% of its gross domestic product, or 0.5% more than planned for NATO members. At a time when the support of certain Western countries for Ukraine seems to be called into question, the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, last week promised Kiev 2.5 billion pounds sterling (2.9 billion euros) two years.