London England January 30 ANI Sputnik The United Kingdom is considering boosting military support to NATO allies and could double its forces in Estonia, the office of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson informs British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
In a Saturday statement, Downing Street said that the UK is considering double troop numbers and sending defensive weapons to Estonia, and that fast jets, warships and military specialists could be sent to protect NATO allies. The British government said that it would offer additional military deployment to NATO in the face of rising Russian aggression, as well as strengthen NATO's defences and support for Nordic and Baltic partners. Johnson emphasized in the Downing Street release that he ordered our Armed Forces to prepare for deployment across Europe next week to be able to support our NATO allies on land, in the air and in the air.
The West has accused Russia of a troop build-up near the Ukrainian border and preparing for an invasion. Moscow denied these accusations, pointing out NATO's military activity near Russian borders, which it considers a threat to its national security. Russia has the right to move its forces within its own territory.
Downing Street said that Johnson had asked the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, to brief ministers on Tuesday about the situation in Ukraine. Britain's defence secretary Ben Wallace will be in Hungary, Slovenia, and Croatia for talks this upcoming week.
The United Kingdom is expected to finalize its offer of additional military deployment to NATO allies this upcoming week during talks in Brussels.
According to the British government, the UK has over 900 military personnel based in Estonia. In Ukraine, over 100 British troops are deployed as part of Operation Orbital, and a squadron of around 150 people is deployed to Poland.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said in an interview with El Mundo that the European Union is not unanimous about the scope of military assistance to Kiev or potential sanctions against Russia in the event of escalation around Ukraine.