Michael Fallon, UK Defence Secretary, has announced more support for the Baltic States and greater training for Ukrainian armed forces, the Ministry of Defence announced on 8 October.
Fallon announced the expanded support at the NATO Defence Ministerial in Brussels, saying that company-sized units will be deployed to Poland and the Baltics regularly to provide training support and reassurance. Where possible, the deployed units will add to existing deployments.
The move will form part of the Transatlantic Capability Enhancement and Training (TACET) initiative by the US and Germany, and will enable the UK to boost self-defence capabilities of the Baltic States, while improving interoperability with its partners. TACET aims to coordinate military exercises and training in Poland and the Baltic States to develop resilience and capability.
As for Ukraine, Fallon announced an uplift in the number of UK training personnel based in the region, and an increase in the training delivery capacity by one-third. The UK is providing non-lethal assistance as required by the Ukrainian government. A total of 19 UK teams have been operating in the region at eight training sites.
Fallon said: 'We are committed to supporting the sovereignty of the democratic nations of Eastern Europe. We are already deploying RAF jets to the Baltics and providing crucial training to the Ukrainian armed forces. Now we will have a more regular drumbeat of troops deploying in the Baltics and Poland, and will step up our training effort in Ukraine.'
The initial document focused more on creating the right partnerships and inspiring investment in defence than on any details of how future UK Armed Forces would be armed.
The first stage of developing a new UK Defence Industrial Strategy has highlighted failings in current structures with solutions expected to be proposed in next year’s full strategy.
Romania joined NATO more than two decades ago and the country is vital to the alliance’s geographic reach and its ability to supply Ukraine with weapons.
Although Trump’s geopolitics policy for Europe remains unclear, defence analysts from the US and Europe predict how his incoming administration would attempt to handle critical issues on the continent.
The UK budget announced in Parliament on 30 October was the first by a Labour government in 14 years which has also launched a review into defence procurement programmes.
The Australian government has placed a focus on Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) which has included the purchase of additional long-range rocket systems and investments in local production of missiles.
Connect with us on socials
