London has announced that it will send approximately 8,000 British soldiers to Eastern Europe to participate in military exercises aimed at countering what it describes as "Russian aggression." British Sky News reported on Friday that this deployment of British troops, the largest since the end of the Cold War nearly three decades ago, will also see additional forces sent to other countries in Europe, such as Finland and North Macedonia.
The UK has been heavily involved in the Russian-Ukrainian war, providing significant support to Kyiv, and has recently emphasized the importance of raising its support for Ukrainians to the level of supplying warplanes. A British official stated that the country supports Ukraine launching attacks deep into Russia, which has angered the Kremlin.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss stated on Thursday that the war in Ukraine is her country's war, asserting that "Ukraine's victory is a strategic necessity for us." According to the deployment plan, dozens of tanks and over 100 armored combat vehicles will be sent to sites in Eastern Europe during the summer.
The plan for deploying British forces in Eastern Europe was updated and strengthened following the outbreak of war in Ukraine on February 24. Thousands of British soldiers will join tens of thousands of troops from NATO countries and members of the Joint Expeditionary Force, which includes Denmark, Iceland, and Norway. The British Ministry of Defence stated that the planned exercises will enhance the ability of British and Finnish forces to work together to deter "Russian aggression in the Scandinavian and Baltic countries."
