The accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO is only a matter of a short time, believes the Deputy Defense Minister responsible for the British armed forces James Heappey.
According to him, for Britain, located in the north of Europe, the strengthening of the military alliance in the north is very significant. Heappey sees Finland and Sweden playing a central role in the defense plan of NATO’s northern region in the future.
– Our focus is on the north, and so the joining of two beer-drinking Northern European countries to NATO is very welcome, Heappey says in a video interview to .
According to Heappey, in the best case, Finland and Sweden will join NATO at the same time and at the latest at the Vilnius NATO summit in June.
– And even if this didn’t happen, it would be a delay of months at most. If someone in Moscow is looking at this and thinking that a delay would be good news for Russia, it is not.
According to him, the joining of Finland and Sweden to the military alliance is “a great moment for NATO, European security and to Vladimir Putin“. Above all, it shows how badly Russia’s war of aggression has failed.
– I don’t see a greater indication of how poorly the last 12 months have gone strategically for Putin. He should think about it too.
The applications of Finland and Sweden are still not ratified in Turkey and Hungary. According to Heappey, Britain and especially his own superior, the Minister of Defence Ben Wallace promote the cause of Finland and Sweden behind the scenes whenever the opportunity arises.
Britain pledges fighter jets
Since the start of the Russian war of aggression, Britain has been Ukraine’s biggest armed supporters (you move to another service). In euro terms, Britain has given Ukraine the second most military aid of any country: far less than the United States, but more than any single EU country.
When the president Volodymyr Zelenskyi visited London the other week, Britain said it would begin training Ukrainian fighter pilots.
Ukraine has repeatedly asked the West for fighter jets. This week former prime ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss claim in the British Parliament (you switch to another service) his successor Rishi Sunakia to deliver fighter jets to Ukraine without delay.
However, Heappey emphasizes that training Ukrainian pilots does not mean that Britain has promised or will necessarily promise Ukraine fighter jets in the near future.
– Of course, starting training gives our leaders more options, and that’s why the prime minister has said that nothing has been ruled out, the deputy minister adds.
However, according to him, the training that has started now is primarily aimed at the Ukrainians starting to learn how to operate the fighters used by NATO countries, so that they can be used in the future air force of Ukraine after the end of the war.
Britain has been a pioneer in arms aid in the past. It was the first Western country to pledge to donate tanks to Ukraine, and others quickly followed.
According to Heappey, the Challenger armor will be delivered as soon as the training of the Ukrainian armored forces in Britain is completed. He does not agree to share more detailed timetable plans, but says that the training is progressing “very well”.
The delivery of Leopard armor promised by other European countries to Ukraine has, on the other hand, met with headwinds. A decision on sending armor is expected from Finland today, Thursday.
– Everyone is certainly moving forward with the relevant urgency, Heappey formulates his answer to the question of whether the delivery of the Leopards has progressed as expected.
However, he reminds that Ukraine is preparing for a new major attack by Russia.
– Attack is the best defense. The best thing would be for us to get the Ukrainians all the equipment and training they need to take back their territories.
The aim of the arms aid is to improve Ukraine’s negotiating position
Heappey implies that arms aid is not expected to settle the war once and for all on the battlefield. The goal is to improve Ukraine’s position in the negotiations that will come one day, and to secure its territorial integrity in the future.
– I don’t think we will get into a situation where Russia would suffer a complete crushing defeat. The Russians will probably just keep grinding, says Heappey.
– The goal must be that we give Ukraine the tools for sufficient military success, which guarantees the framework for peace negotiations under President Zelensky’s terms.
Heappey stresses that it is up to Ukraine alone to decide when and under what conditions negotiations will take place. He assures that Britain will continue to support Ukraine for as long as the need requires.
Thinking about the future, Heappey refers to increasing the deterrent effect of the Ukrainian armed forces and says that Britain is seeking a leading role in achieving this goal as well.
– At some point, diplomatic peace negotiations must inevitably take place. After them, Ukraine must have armed forces to ensure that this kind of thing never happens again.
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