Jeremy Corbyn sparks outrage with call for NATO to step down from Baltic border in order ‘to avoid new Cold War’
Labour leader says aggressive stance against Vladimir Putin's Russia is putting Britain right in the firing line
LEFTIE Jeremy Corbyn sparked outrage yesterday by calling for NATO to demilitarise the borders between Baltic states and Russia.
The Labour leader said it was time to “drive apart these forces” to stop the world descending into a new Cold War. The comments come as Britain prepares to beef up its military presence in the Baltic states as a warning to Vladimir Putin.
And yesterday Defence Secretary Michael Fallon urged EU states to splash the cash on their military as it was wrong to “wholly rely” on the United States all the time.
Last night a Conservative spokesman said: “It’s clear that Jeremy Corbyn doesn’t believe in strong defences – and would put our national security at risk.”
Britain plans to deploy troops and fighter jets to eastern Europe next Spring as part of a show of strength against what the West considers “provocative” posturing by Moscow.
Some 800 troops will go to Estonia to create an “earlier tripwire” and act as a deterrent.
Speaking yesterday, Mr Fallon backed Donald Trump is saying EU states must start to meet NATO’s target for defence spending – 2 per cent of a nation’s economic output.
Ahead of a meeting with EU counterparts Mr Fallon said: “I’ll be urging them to meet their 2 per cent target and get their defence spending up. It’s the best answer to any uncertainty about the new world we are in.”