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Lieutenant General Tom Bateman takes command
of the force which would
deploy to Ukraine should hostilities end,
taking over from his French predecessor.
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Comes as the Coalition of the
Willing prepares exercises to rehearse the
deployment of the force to Ukraine.
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Lieutenant General Bateman took over command
from his French predecessor during
a special handover ceremony at
the operation headquarters in Paris.
A senior British officer has today taken
command of the multinational force which would
deploy to Ukraine after
hostilities end.
At a ceremony in Paris today, Lieutenant General
Tom Bateman took over command of the Multinational Force Ukraine
(MNF-U) from his French counterpart.
The handover ceremony took place at the
Force's Operation HQ in Paris and it
comes after the Prime Minister this
week reaffirmed Britain's unwavering commitment
to Ukraine and leadership with France of the
Coalition of the Willing.
Last week, the UK, France, and other Coalition of the
Willing leaders confirmed that the MNF-U will
conduct exercises in the coming months
to show the force's ability to act once
hostilities have ceased.
Defence Secretary MP said:
The frontline in Ukraine is the frontline for our freedom and
democracy. Our commitment to supporting Ukraine - both
in the fight now, and in preparation to secure the
peace we want to see - remains steadfast and will not waver.
We are proud to take command of this multinational force,
which demonstrates the leading role we will continue to
play in supporting our Ukrainian friends.
Lieutenant General Bateman is a distinguished officer who has
already displayed military leadership on a national and
international level. His command will help strengthen our efforts
to support Ukraine's future security.
In the event of peace, the MNF-U
will help reassure Ukraine by enabling safer Ukrainian
skies and seas and regenerating Ukrainian Land
forces. As part of this, a headquarters would
also be established in Kyiv.
Lieutenant General Tom Bateman's
military career spans over 30 years', including
as Commander of the Standing Joint Force
Headquarters, a rapidly deployable headquarters
for the UK Armed Forces, able to respond to crises and
conflicts anywhere in the world. He has also served as
Commander of the 1st Division of the British Army.
Lieutenant General Tom Bateman CBE
said:
It is a privilege to assume command of the MNFU here at its
Operational Headquarters in Paris. Building on the excellent work
of my predecessor and his multinational team, we will
continue to work closely with our Ukrainian and international
partners to prepare a force that will help support a just and
lasting peace in Ukraine.
At a time of continued Russian aggression against Ukraine, our
work demonstrates the enduring commitment of
participating nations to Ukraine's long-term
security, sovereignty and stability. I am honoured
to work side by side with the new French Deputy
Commander to provide continued British and French leadership to
this important Multinational Force which has been declared Ready
to Operate' at the recent Coalition of
the Willing summit.
The handover is a planned rotation between the UK and
France, as part of both nations' joint leadership of
the MNF-U.
The twin aims of the MNF-U are regeneration and
reassurance. The force will strengthen the Armed Forces
of Ukraine by providing training and
replenishing equipment, putting troops in the best possible
position to deter further Russian aggression.
MNF-U patrols in the skies and seas will give Ukraine
the reassurance it needs to restore commercial air travel,
rebuild a thriving economy and attract international
investment.
Against a backdrop of continuing barbaric Russian
missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, Coalition of
the Willing partners remain committed to
ensuring that any future peace is durable, credible and
underpinned by effective security arrangements.
The MNF-U will build on the results of the recent
Coalition of the Willing leaders' meeting which further
strengthened the resolve of Ukraine's partners to achieve a
long-lasting peace that secures Ukraine's future in the European
family.
