Prime Minister praises British troops and serves them Christmas dinner in Estonia

Rishi Sunak served the troops a Christmas meal as he commended them for their “selfless service and bravery” in a year when Russia’s war in Ukraine rocked the world.

He made a surprise visit to Estonia, where Britain has helped bolster NATO forces to stop Moscow from being invaded by other allied nations.

After filling them with celebratory food, including mince pies, Mr. Sunak sat down with the soldiers to thank them for the sacrifices they made.

“This year we have seen a return of full-scale war to our continent and I am very proud of the selfless commitment and bravery of our armed forces in responding to this threat to protect the UK and our allies,” said the prime minister .

“As thousands of our military members prepare to spend Christmas on the field, I know this year of all times we will not take their sacrifice or the sacrifice of their loved ones for granted.

“After all, Christmas is a time of peace, and together with our allies, we will continue to support our Ukrainian and European friends in their search for a return to that peace.”

The prime minister was accompanied at the Tapa military base by Kaja Kallas, his Estonian counterpart. The pair spoke to the troops of the King’s Royal Hussars – an armored cavalry regiment equipped with Challenger 2 tanks.

In the autumn, the Hussars assumed a leading role in NATO’s multinational battlegroup with an increased forward presence in defense of the Baltic States.

More than 1,000 British soldiers were deployed throughout Estonia and Poland as part of Operation Cabrit. The number stationed in Estonia was doubled in response to the buildup of Russian forces around Ukraine before the invasion.

The total will be halved next year as some forces move to other trouble spots around the world.

But Mr Sunak promised that troops staying near the Russian border will have more weapons available if the war continues.

The prime minister also visited neighboring Latvia, where he urged other European leaders to stand firm in their support for Ukraine.

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