Britain to create joint naval force with nine European countries as ‘complement’ to Nato

Britain has agreed to create a unified naval force with nine European countries to deter future Russian threats from the “open sea border” to the north, the head of the Royal Navy has announced. Gen Sir Gwyn Jenkins said that despite the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, where the strait of Hormuz remains closed after the US-Israeli war in Iran, “Russia remains the gravest threat to our security”. In a speech, the first sea lord said the 10 members of the Joint Expeditionary Force (Jef), had signed last week a statement of intent to create a “multinational maritime force” to act as a “complement to Nato”. It would not include the US, whose president, Donald Trump , has repeatedly criticised the UK for not actively supporting the bombing of Iran, at one point describing the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers as “toys”. Military cooperation between the US and the UK is at a low point, with the two countries at odds over the strait of Hormuz. The US has said it wants help forcing the strait and criticised British and French discussions over creating defensive patrols after the war ends, calling them “silly” . The Jef includes the Netherlands , all five Nordic and the three Baltic states, with the UK as its largest military member. Canada is also considering joining as some Nato members refine their response to rising Russian aggression. …