UK to deploy 20,000 troops to NATO military drill to practice repelling a Russian invasion
The UK will send 20,000 troops to one of NATO’s biggest military drills since the Cold War as the alliance practices repelling an invasion by Russian forces, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps is expected to announce today.
Army, navy and RAF personnel will be deployed to the 31-nation Steadfast Defender exercise in a bid to provide “vital reassurance against the menace” of Vladimir Putin, Mr Shapps will say in a speech.
The defence secretary will also warn the West stands at a “crossroads” as he unveils the UK’s contribution to the war games in an address at Lancaster House.
Speaking to Sky News’ Kay Burley, Mr Shapps echoed warnings from his cabinet colleague Lord Cameron, who said on Sunday “the lights are absolutely flashing red on the global dashboard” due to “so much danger and insecurity and instability in the world”.
“Not only have you got the the state, so the Putins of this world and Iran… but you’ve also now got the non-state actors as well, that sort of terrorism that we saw [at] the beginning of this century, individual actors,” said the defence secretary.
“And because of that, this is a more unstable and difficult world. And that’s really the big theme of the speech that I’m making this morning.”
Russia-Ukraine war latest updates
Mr Shapps will set out his vision for how the UK will rebuff potential threats as allies remain concerned over the danger posed by the Kremlin, with the war against Ukraine now approaching its second year.
He is expected to say: “We are in a new era and we must be prepared to deter our enemies, prepared to lead our allies and prepared to defend our nation, whenever the call comes.
“Today our adversaries are busily rebuilding their barriers, old enemies are reanimated, battle lines are being drawn, the tanks are literally on Ukraine’s lawn and the foundations of the world order are being shaken to their core. We stand at a crossroads.”
Around 16,000 troops, together with tanks, artillery and helicopters, will be sent by the British Army from across Eastern Europe, starting from next month.
The Royal Navy will deploy more than 2,000 sailors across eight warships and submarines, while more than 400 Royal Marine Commandoes will be sent to the Arctic Circle.
The RAF will use F-35B Lightning attack aircraft and Poseidon P-8 surveillance aircraft.
F-35B Lightning II aircraft, seen on the deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth moored in Limassol, Cyprus, in 2021
The exercise will prepare for the invasion of a member state by any aggressor, defence sources said.
But the main threats being considered are from Russia and terrorists.
‘Much more needs to be done to protect ourselves’
Speaking at a press conference last September, the chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer, said of the exercise: “In 2024, the alliance will be holding its largest collective defence exercise since the Cold War: Steadfast Defender.
“Over 40,000 troops from across the alliance will exercise in Germany, Poland and the three Baltic states.”
“A new era of collective defence is upon us,” he continued.
“And NATO military authorities have been preparing for this era for years.
“We have never been stronger or readier.
“And yet… much more needs to be done in order to not only protect ourselves against current threats, but also against reconstituted threats and potential future threats.”
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Sunak: ‘Putin will not outlast us’
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Mr Shapp’s announcement comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made a surprise visit to Kyiv on Friday to unveil a further £2.5bn support package for Ukraine in 2024-25 – an increase of £200m on the previous two years.
Mr Sunak and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also signed a new security agreement committing the UK to provide “swift and sustained” assistance if Ukraine is ever attacked by Russia again.
In total since the war began, the UK will have provided almost £12bn of aid to Ukraine, the prime minister said.
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Mr Sunak vowed the UK would continue to stand with Ukraine, telling an audience: “Ukraine is not alone, and Ukraine will never be alone.
“Putin might think that he can outlast us but he is wrong.
“We stand with you today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes.”
The fast-moving developments on Trump’s Ukraine peace deal are dominating the G20 summit in South Africa, as European leaders scramble to put together a counter-proposal to the US-Russia 28-point plan and reinsert Ukraine into these discussions.
European countries are now working up proposals to put to President Trump ahead of his deadline of Thursday to agree a deal.
Ukraine is in a tight spot. It cannot reject Washington outright – it relies on US military support to continue this war – but neither can it accept the terms of a deal that is acutely favourable to Russia, requiring Ukraine to give up territory not even occupied by Moscow and reducing its army.
Overnight, the UK government has reiterated its position that any deal must deliver a “just and lasting peace”.
Ukraine war latest: Kyiv to discuss ending war in talks in Switzerland
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Keir Starmer calls for growth plan at G20
The prime minister, who spoke with E3 allies President Macron of France, Chancellor Merz of Germany and President Zelenskyy of Ukraine on the phone on Friday, is having more conversations today with key partners as they work out how to handle Trump and improve this deal for Ukraine.
One diplomatic source told me allies are being very careful not to criticise Trump or his approach for fear of exacerbating an already delicate situation.
Instead, the prime minister is directing his attacks at Russia.
Read more:
Trump’s 28-point Ukraine peace plan in full
Analysis: We could all pay if Europe doesn’t guarantee Ukraine’s security
Prime Minister Keir Starmer attends a plenary session on the first day of the G20 Leaders’ Summit. Pic: Reuters
“There is only one country around the G20 table that is not calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine and one country that is deploying a barrage of drones and missiles to destroy livelihoods and murder innocent civilians,” he said on Friday evening.
“Time and again, Russia pretends to be serious about peace, but its actions never live up to its words.”
Pic: AP
On the Trump plan, the prime minister said allies are meetin on Saturday “to discuss the current proposal on the table, and in support of Trump’s push for peace, look at how we can strengthen this plan for the next phase of negotiations”.
Strengthening the plan really means that they want to rebalance it towards Ukraine’s position and make it tougher on Russia.
“Ukraine has been ready to negotiate for months, while Russia has stalled and continued its murderous rampage. That is why we must all work together with both the US and Ukraine, to secure a just and lasting peace once and for all,” said the prime minister.
“We will continue to coordinate closely with Washington and Kyiv to achieve that. However, we cannot simply wait for peace.
“We must strain every sinew to secure it. We must cut off Putin’s finance flows by ending our reliance on Russian gas. It won’t be easy, but it’s the right thing to do.”
Pic: AP
Europeans hadn’t even seen this deal earlier in the week, in a sign that the US is cutting other allies out of negotiations – for now at least.
Starmer and other European leaders want to get to a position where Ukraine and Europe are at least at the table.
There is some discussion about whether European leaders such as Macron and Meloni might travel to Washington to speak to Trump early next week in order to persuade him of the European and Ukrainian perspective, as leaders did last August following the US-Russian summit in Alaska.
But Sky News understands there are no discussions about the PM travelling to Washington next week ahead of the budget.
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