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On Monday, the UK Defense Ministry announced that Britain will deploy 20,000 military personnel, including warships and fighter jets, in a significant NATO exercise scheduled for the first half of this year. This move marks one of NATO’s largest deployments since the Cold War’s conclusion and coincides with the alliance’s 75th anniversary.
The operation, named Exercise Steadfast Defender 24, will involve 16,000 British Army troops stationed in Eastern Europe from February to June, supplemented by an aircraft carrier strike group, F35B Lightning attack jets, and surveillance planes.
In excerpts of his speech set to be delivered at Lancaster House, Defense Secretary Grant Shapps highlighted the UK’s commitment to the NATO exercise. “I can announce today that UK will be sending some 20,000 personnel to take part in one of NATO’s largest deployments since the end of the Cold War,” Shapps stated. The exercise is a response to the heightened tensions following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago, which has led NATO to increase its combat-ready forces.
Shapps will emphasize the significance of the exercise in providing reassurance against what he referred to as the “Putin menace.” He noted the participation of military forces from 30 NATO countries and Sweden in the exercise.
This announcement comes shortly after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s declaration last week of an increase in the UK’s support for Ukraine in the coming financial year. The UK’s aid to Ukraine will rise to $3.19 billion, a significant increase from the previous two years.
