British general takes command of Ukraine force

A senior British officer has taken command of the multinational force that would deploy to Ukraine once hostilities end, the Ministry of Defence stated.

Lieutenant General Tom Bateman took over the Multinational Force Ukraine from his French counterpart at a handover ceremony held at the force’s operational headquarters in Paris. The move is a planned rotation between the two countries as part of their joint leadership of the force, and follows confirmation last week by the UK, France and other Coalition of the Willing leaders that the force will run exercises in the coming months to demonstrate it can act once fighting stops.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting was quoted in the press release as saying: “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.” He added: “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.”

According to the MOD, the force has two stated aims, regeneration and reassurance. In the event of peace it would work to strengthen the Armed Forces of Ukraine through training and equipment replenishment, while patrols in the skies and seas are intended to give Kyiv the confidence to restore commercial air travel and rebuild its economy. A headquarters would also be established in Kyiv.

Bateman was quoted in the press release as saying: “It is a privilege to assume command of the MNF-U 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.”

He continued: “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.”

Bateman’s career spans more than 30 years, including as Commander of the Standing Joint Force Headquarters, the UK’s rapidly deployable headquarters for responding to crises overseas, and as Commander of the British Army’s 1st Division.

The Coalition of the Willing was formed under British and French leadership to co-ordinate support for Ukraine and to plan for the security arrangements that would follow any settlement. Its composition has grown to take in dozens of countries across Europe and beyond, though the shape and size of any deployment has remained contingent on a ceasefire that has yet to materialise. The force reaching “Ready to Operate” status means it now exists as a standing structure with a command chain and headquarters, rather than a plan on paper, with the exercises announced last week intended to test that in practice.