Ahead of a visit by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak declared on Tuesday that the UK will continue to play a crucial role in NATO for decades.
Sunak will meet the NATO supreme allied commander in Downing Street for the first time since taking office last month.
According to Sunak’s office, the focus of the talks on Wednesday will be on UK support for Ukraine following Russia’s invasion in February as well as the alliance’s future.
“As the war in Ukraine continues to rage, we must not take peace at home for granted,” Sunak said in a statement.
“I am determined the UK will be the bedrock of NATO for generations to come,” he added.
“But in order to face the challenges of the future we must evolve as an alliance to meet, and remain ahead of, the threat from our adversaries.”
NSeparately, ATO announced that Stoltenberg would also meet with James Cleverly, the UK foreign minister.
After seeing a military base where British military personnel are instructing Ukrainian troops, Stoltenberg will meet Sunak.
A total of 19,000 Ukrainian recruits have been offered training in Britain in critical military abilities like shooting, weapon handling, urban and trench warfare, and first aid.
Sunak announced on Tuesday that the UK is sending Ukrainian soldiers extra equipment to help them get through the harsh winter, including more than 25,000 sets of extreme cold weather clothing, 12,000 sleeping kits and 150 heated tents.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, who had ties to former prime minister Boris Johnson, was one of the new prime minister’s first contacts after taking office.
Sunak pledged to maintain the “steadfast support” and solidarity of Britain for Ukraine.
