THOUSANDS of British troops could be sent to Estonia and kept on high alert in the government’s latest contribution to the deteriorating international climate.

Defence Secretary John Healey announced the plan, which places the army’s Yorkshire-based Fourth Brigade on stand-by to be sent east with accompanying tanks and rockets, at a Nato meeting in Brussels today.

He also pledged closer British involvement in long-range missile development and other arms-race initiatives.

Stop the War Coalition convener Lindsey German slammed the proposals, saying: “If ever there was confirmation that the Russia-Ukraine war is a Nato-Russia proxy war, it is this announcement.

“It comes from a defence secretary hell-bent on chucking more and more weaponry into the region and leading on initiatives to strengthen Nato’s air and missile systems, all in the interests of keeping Ukraine and the UK’s arms industry in the war, rather than calling for a ceasefire and peace talks.”

Mr Healey, one of the few Cabinet ministers not worried about cuts in the forthcoming Budget, said: “Today, we will make the commitment to reinforce Nato’s eastern flank with a new plan alongside Estonia for our forces there.

“And we will make a UK commitment to bolstering the future of Europe’s defences, leading a new initiative to net together the European air defence systems and to work together with other European allies to develop long-range missiles.

“This is part of the UK’s new determination to work more closely with other European allies on security for the future, and Europe’s security is guaranteed by this Nato alliance.”

Up to 5,000 military personnel will be put on stand-by to deploy to Estonia under the agreement that Mr Healey signed with his Estonian counterpart. 

There are around 1,000 troops in the Baltic country at present.

The announcements may form part of a European hedge against the prospect of Donald Trump winning next month’s US presidential election, which would lead to European Nato members having to do more of the anti-Russian heavy lifting.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was also in attendance, touting his implausible “victory plan” for the war against Russia.

Mr Healey stuck to the familiar “as long as it takes” mantra, saying: “We, as Ukraine’s supporters, must do everything we can to step up our support for Ukraine in the weeks and months ahead, to put more pressure on Russia, to ensure that Ukraine can prevail.”