Extra 350 British troops heading to Poland as tensions rise in eastern Europe

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace warned that it would be a “foolish mistake” for Russia to invade Ukraine.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace speaks during a joint press conference with Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak at the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Main Building, in London. Picture date: Monday February 7, 2022. (PA Wire)

A further 350 British troops will be sent to eastern Europe as tensions continue to rise around Russia’s military build-up on the border with Ukraine

The soldiers will be sent to Poland with Defence Secretary Ben Wallace saying they will send a strong signal that the two countries “stand side by side”.

Poland is also facing a crisis on its own border with Belarus, whose leader Alexander Lukashenko is an ally of Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace held a joint press conference with Polish counterpart Mariusz Blaszczak in London (Peter Nicholls/PA) (PA Wire)

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukraine crisis will continue this week, with Mr Wallace and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss expected to head to Moscow for talks.

Mr Wallace said the extra troops will add to 100 Royal Engineers already in Poland.

The bilateral deployment will “show that we can work together and send a strong signal that Britain and Poland stand side by side”, he said.

Mr Wallace warned that if Russia makes the “foolish mistake” of invading Ukraine it will face severe sanctions, isolation and “more Nato – the very things that President Putin says he doesn’t want”.

He pointed to the way the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 led to Nato’s “enhanced forward presence” in alliance members Poland and Latvia.

Mr Wallace denied that Nato is trying to use “divide and rule” tactics against Moscow.

“Nato is a defensive alliance. It poses no threat to Russia. It is a self-defence mechanism amongst our allies. That is what it is there for. No one wants to divide and rule Russia,” he said.

At a joint press conference with Mr Wallace, Polish defence minister Mariusz Blaszczak welcomed the additional British deployment.

Speaking through a translator, he said: “I’m very grateful to Ben (Wallace) for this quick response and I am very grateful also to the Government of the United Kingdom for supporting Poland during this attack by the Lukashenko regime on Poland, this hybrid attack, and those soldiers will indeed support our army as well.”

He added: “Today, we are facing another challenge, the Russian aggressive policy towards Ukraine and as part of Nato, but also on a bilateral level, Poland and the United Kingdom are ready to do all the necessary decisions in order to deter the potential aggressor.

“Based on historical experience, we see that only a decisive deterrence policy can stop any potential Russian aggression and, based on the very same history, we do see that the policy of appeasement only encourages the potential enemy to do something.”

Ms Truss will travel to Moscow later this week for discussions with counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

But former Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick questioned whether the trip would play into Mr Putin’s hands.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s The Westminster Hour programme, the former housing secretary said: “I’m not sure it is actually wise to go to Moscow.”

He added: “I think that honours Vladimir Putin and plays into his hand… I just question the good sense of going to Moscow and honouring Vladimir Putin at a time when he is so aggressive towards Ukraine.

“I’m not sure that’s wise.”