WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United Kingdom (UK) is keeping a strong focus on Russian actions in preparing the 2015 strategic defense and security posture review, UK Minister of State for the Armed Forces Penny Mordaunt said in response to a question from Sputnik.
"Although this does not necessarily get the media attention that some of the other threats that we are focused on, and [are] considering in the defense review… we are extremely focused on what Russia is doing," Mordaunt said at a Thursday Atlantic Council event in Washington, DC.
Mordaunt was asked whether she agrees with the conclusion of a UK think tank proposal for permanently stationing British troops in the Baltic States to stand down Russia.
The report, published this week by the Henry Jackson Society, recommended the United Kingdom "re-assert the European dimension of its global policy more forcefully" by positioning its troops in NATO countries along Russia’s border.
"I have heard it mentioned that people think we are perhaps less focused on that," Mordaunt said of the alleged Russian threat to European security. "But I can assure you that is not the case."
Mordaunt is currently overseeing the drafting of Britain's annual strategic defense review, which is expected to be released later this year.
She could not comment on the specific aspects of the review dealing with Russia, but noted that the UK armed forces "will honor all of our obligation in NATO, and we have been very clear on that."
Beginning in 2014, NATO began increasing the levels of rotational troops to the eastern flank of the alliance.
Russian authorities have repeatedly expressed concern over NATO's increased military presence in the East, warning it is provocative and could threaten regional security.
Under the 1997 Russia-NATO pact, the alliance made a commitment that it would not station "additional permanent" combat forces on the European continent.
