David Cameron will declare that Britain will remain at the heart of Nato despite leaving the EU and announce 650 troops are to be deployed in a new drive to counter Vladimir Putin.
In an attempt to counter fears that Brexit will diminish the UK’s standing on the world stage, the Prime Minister will tell a summit in Warsaw that the country will continue to play an “essential” role in Nato.
His message to gathered world leaders will be that Britain’s commitment to ensuring peace in Europe is “not in doubt” despite uncertainty about its EU relationship, government sources said.
To back up the rhetoric, Mr Cameron will announce a “three-pronged” commitment to Nato that will see 500 British soldiers sent to Estonia, 150 to Poland and 3,000 placed on call as part of a rapid-response unit.
He will also deliver a warning to Mr Putin, saying the troop deployments show the UK will stand “shoulder to shoulder” with its allies in the face of Russian aggression.
The summit is the first time Mr Cameron will have seen Barack Obama, the US President, since Britain voted to leave the EU last month despite the pair’s joint warning during the campaign.
Critics of Brexit said a vote to leave the EU would amount to Britain “pulling up the drawbridge” and retreating from its leading position on the world stage.
Despite his warnings before the vote, Mr Cameron is expected to issue a clear message that Britain remains committed militarily to Nato and to defending Europe’s security.
"This will be a summit where you will see Britain assert itself as one of the most crucial elements in the Nato alliance,” one official said.
"Not only are we going to be steadfast in our support of Nato, but we are prepared to back that up with boots on the ground."
Mr Cameron will announce the deployment of a 500-strong battalion to Estonia with a further company of 150 troops to be stationed in Poland "on an enduring basis” as part of a wider drive by Nato.
Britain is also to take over the leadership of the Nato Very High Readiness Joint Task (VJTF) from next year, with 3,000 troops in the UK and Germany on standby to move with as little as five days’ notice.
The 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade will provide the land headquarters and there will be an armoured infantry battle group from the 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment - with Challenger 2 tanks and Warrior armoured fighting vehicles - and a light infantry battle group from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards.
The move comes amid continuing concerns among the Western alliance regarding the intentions of President Putin following Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.
Asked about what Mr Cameron’s message to Russia would be, a government source said: “It’s a combination of defence and dialogue. We can’t close the door on Russia - we have to engage in dialogue with them.
“But Russia must be in no doubt that the Nato forces are lined up in Europe and we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with each other.”
The Prime Minister is also expected to repeat Britain’s commitment to Nato’s target of spending 2 per cent of GDP on defence – a promise Mr Cameron adopted after last year’s general election following pressure from America. "There can be no backsliding on this issue," said a UK official.
During the summit, which is the first since Britain hosted the group in Wales two years ago, Mr Cameron is also expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings with world leaders.
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