UK readies 1,000 troops to provide humanitarian support over Ukraine tensions
February 10, 2022, 8:27 am

UK readies 1,000 troops to provide humanitarian support over Ukraine tensions

British military vehicle/Pixabay

The Voice of America reported, citing Reuters, Britain ordered 1,000 troops to be on a state of readiness to provide support in the event of a humanitarian crisis caused by any Russian aggression, ahead of a visit by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to the leaders of NATO and Poland on Thursday.

Johnson will go to Brussels and Warsaw to stress the need to hold firm on NATO's principles and discuss ways that Britain can provide military support while Russia amasses its troops near Ukraine's border.

Johnson's trip is one among a wave of international diplomatic efforts. French President Emmanuel Macron met Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week, and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is due to have in-person meetings with U.S. allies and partners at the Munich Security Conference next week.

Britain's foreign secretary and defense secretary are also due in Moscow this week for talks with their counterparts.

"The U.K. remains unwavering in our commitment to European security," Johnson said in a statement. "As an alliance, we must draw lines in the snow and be clear there are principles upon which we will not compromise."

Boris Johnson to visit Poland and NATO chief amid Ukraine tensions

Britain said on Monday that it would send a further 350 troops to Poland, after it sent 100 troops last year to help with a migrant crisis at its border with Belarus.

Johnson's office repeated on Wednesday that any further military incursion of Ukraine by Russia would likely create the mass forced displacement of people on Europe's border, affecting countries like Poland and Lithuania. In 2014, Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine.

UK sanctions and other measures to be ready if Russia attacks Ukraine

Johnson's office said the prime minister would also discuss with NATO's Jens Stoltenberg the U.K.'s offer to bolster the alliance's defenses, including a doubling of troops in Estonia, more RAF jets in southern Europe, and the sailing of both the Trent patrol vessel and a Type 45 destroyer to the Eastern Mediterranean.

Source: voa

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.