MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The UK Defense Ministry mulls sending tactical drones and Challenger 2 tanks to Eastern Europe as part of its commitment to NATO to deploy a battalion to Estonia, Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said.
"This is not simply a trip-wire…This is a serious military presence," Fallon was quoted as saying by The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday.
The NATO military alliance declared at a July summit it would move forces to Poland and the three Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. In Estonia, British personnel will serve side by side with troops from France and Denmark.
According to the newspaper, Fallon said the deployment was a sign that Britain was not stepping away. "This is our continent and we will keep on working to help keep it safe," he said.
NATO foreign ministers are scheduled to meet at the Brussels headquarters in Belgium where they are expected to discuss their efforts on the alliance’s eastern flank.
