Defence Secretary John Healey will also commit UK forces to Nato’s Arctic Sentry mission, the alliance’s plan to improve security in the region to help address Donald Trump’s concerns over Greenland
The number of British troops in Norway will double to bolster defences in the High North against Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
Defence Secretary John Healey will also commit UK forces to Nato’s Arctic Sentry mission, the alliance’s plan to improve security in the region to help address Donald Trump’s concerns over Greenland. The pledge to boost the defence of the Arctic region came as former head of the armed forces General Sir Nick Carter called for greater European co-operation to deter Russia and support Ukraine.
Mr Healey, on a visit to Royal Marines at Camp Viking in the Norwegian Arctic, promised to increase the number of troops deployed to the country from 1,000 to 2,000 over three years. The Defence Secretary said: “Demands on defence are rising, and Russia poses the greatest threat to Arctic and High North security that we have seen since the Cold War.
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“We see Putin rapidly re-establishing military presence in the region, including reopening old Cold War bases. The UK is stepping up to protect the Arctic and High North – doubling the number of troops we have in Norway and scaling up joint exercises with Nato allies.”
Some 1,500 commandos will be deployed to Norway in March for Nato’s Exercise Cold Response. Mr Healey will join Nato counterparts to discuss the proposals at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels on Thursday.
In September, the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force will carry out major military exercises in the region – with air, land and naval forces training to protect critical infrastructure from attacks and sabotage.
The risk of Russian sabotage activity was highlighted by Sir Nick in a paper for the Tony Blair Institute. He said: “We’re all aware that Russia and the GRU at the tip of the spear – that’s Russia’s intelligence services – are waging a campaign of sabotage and subversion in Europe, including incursions into our Nato airspace. Now we’ve got to be able to impose credible costs on this campaign, because otherwise it will continue.”
The paper called for improvements in European military power and urged continued support for Ukraine. Sir Nick said: “Europe faces a growing external threat in an evolving world order at the same time as its political, fiscal and industrial systems are struggling to respond. After decades of under-investment in defence, this is no longer merely inefficient – it is dangerous. The path ahead for Europe’s leaders will not be easy; they cannot afford to fail. Drift is no longer a neutral option.
“Europe’s influence will depend on its ability to take rapid collective action. A Europe that can do so – and take responsibility for its own defence and security – will remain a shaper of the international order. A Europe that cannot, will be shaped by others.”