NATO Member in the Baltics Expresses Concern Over Reduced UK Troops – Times
The recent reduction of British troops and tanks in Estonia as part of NATO’s presence has raised concerns among Estonian officials regarding national security, according to The Times. This drawdown also prompts questions about Britain’s capability...
TroibNews 
The recent reduction of British troops and tanks in Estonia as part of NATO’s presence has raised concerns among Estonian officials regarding national security, according to The Times. This drawdown also prompts questions about Britain’s capability to send peacekeepers to Ukraine if a ceasefire is established.
Riho Terras, a former commander of the Estonian Defense Forces and now a Member of the European Parliament, communicated to Times Radio that the UK appears unable to assemble the brigade-sized force, typically comprising around 3,000 to 5,000 troops, it had initially committed to.
“The UK has difficulties to put together one brigade to participate in operations. I see it in Estonia every day,” Terras remarked.
He highlighted that the financial challenges facing the British military are becoming evident, noting the UK’s probable inability to fully partake in Exercise Hedgehog, one of NATO’s significant training exercises set for May.
“The UK is not coming with the full power to the exercises because they have problems with the financing,” Terras said, adding, “Of course it concerns me that we are not taking seriously our defence.”
The Times reported that Britain has decreased its troop presence in Estonia to approximately 1,000, down from 1,650 in April 2022, with fewer than ten Challenger tanks now stationed in the country. This reduction returns the troop levels to pre-Ukraine conflict figures, despite earlier commitments from Britain to augment its presence following the onset of hostilities.
In response to the situation, the UK and France are working to establish a “coalition of the willing”—a coalition of countries prepared to send troops to Ukraine following a ceasefire. This plan includes the potential deployment of a 30,000-strong “reassurance” force aimed at securing vital cities, ports, infrastructure, and conducting air-policing missions.
Nonetheless, The Times questioned how the UK would be able to contribute to such a coalition if it struggles to maintain even a limited troop presence in Estonia.
While NATO perceives itself as a defensive alliance, Russia views its eastward expansion as a threat. Moscow has consistently asserted that NATO’s enlargement closer to its borders since the 1990s, including the potential for Ukraine’s membership, has been a contributing factor in escalating the conflict in 2022.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
Riho Terras, a former commander of the Estonian Defense Forces and now a Member of the European Parliament, communicated to Times Radio that the UK appears unable to assemble the brigade-sized force, typically comprising around 3,000 to 5,000 troops, it had initially committed to.
“The UK has difficulties to put together one brigade to participate in operations. I see it in Estonia every day,” Terras remarked.
He highlighted that the financial challenges facing the British military are becoming evident, noting the UK’s probable inability to fully partake in Exercise Hedgehog, one of NATO’s significant training exercises set for May.
“The UK is not coming with the full power to the exercises because they have problems with the financing,” Terras said, adding, “Of course it concerns me that we are not taking seriously our defence.”
The Times reported that Britain has decreased its troop presence in Estonia to approximately 1,000, down from 1,650 in April 2022, with fewer than ten Challenger tanks now stationed in the country. This reduction returns the troop levels to pre-Ukraine conflict figures, despite earlier commitments from Britain to augment its presence following the onset of hostilities.
In response to the situation, the UK and France are working to establish a “coalition of the willing”—a coalition of countries prepared to send troops to Ukraine following a ceasefire. This plan includes the potential deployment of a 30,000-strong “reassurance” force aimed at securing vital cities, ports, infrastructure, and conducting air-policing missions.
Nonetheless, The Times questioned how the UK would be able to contribute to such a coalition if it struggles to maintain even a limited troop presence in Estonia.
While NATO perceives itself as a defensive alliance, Russia views its eastward expansion as a threat. Moscow has consistently asserted that NATO’s enlargement closer to its borders since the 1990s, including the potential for Ukraine’s membership, has been a contributing factor in escalating the conflict in 2022.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
