Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
Today, Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will hold talks with senior officials in the United Kingdom. The Secretary-General will also visit a British military facility to train Ukrainian soldiers, along with the Secretary of State for Defense, Ben Wallace.
On the eve of the visit, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak emphasized that the United Kingdom would continue to play a vital role in NATO for generations to come.
According to Agence France-Presse, the Secretary-General of NATO will be the first international official to meet with Sunak in Downing Street since he took office last month.
A government statement said Wednesday's talks would focus on the United Kingdom's support for Ukraine after the start of the Russian invasion of its territory in February, and the future of the alliance.
"With the continuing war in Ukraine, we must not take peace in our country for granted," the statement quoted Sunak as saying.
Sunak stressed that "the United Kingdom will be the cornerstone of NATO for generations to come."
"But to meet the challenges of the future, we must evolve as an alliance in order to confront and anticipate the challenge posed by our opponents," Sunak added.
Stoltenberg will meet Sonak after inspecting a military facility where the British Army trains Ukrainian soldiers.
Britain offered to train a total of 19,000 Ukrainian recruits to acquire basic combat skills, including marksmanship, the use of weapons, street and trench warfare and first aid.
On Tuesday, Sunak announced that the United Kingdom would provide Ukrainian soldiers with additional equipment to help them weather the harsh winter, including more than 25,000 sets of cold clothing, 12,000 sleeping packs and 150 heated tents.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had close ties to former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, was among the first Sunak contacted after taking office. Sunak assured him of Britain's "firm" support and solidarity with Ukraine.