On 20 March, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailed the country’s Trident-armed submarines as “incredibly effective,” calling them a crucial deterrent against Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to The Telegraph.
Starmer stressed that the Russians appreciate British capabilities, adding that Putin respects nuclear deterrence.
“And that’s why the UK is within Europe as one of the leading nations on defense and security because we’ve got our independent deterrent and we’re committed to NATO,” he said.
Starmer is set to travel to Barrow on 20 March to “lay the keel” for the Royal Navy’s new Dreadnought-class submarines, which will replace the aging Vanguard fleet.
Speaking to reporters, Starmer said that Trident “has been an incredibly effective deterrent for decades, and we must not take that for granted.”
“Which is why it’s good that we’re going to the Dreadnought class,” he stated.
The Dreadnought-class submarines will be the largest ever built for the Royal Navy, stretching 153.6 meters in length, and will be equipped with Trident nuclear missiles.
They will replace the Vanguard-class submarines, whose service lives have already been extended three times. The Dreadnought-class vessels are expected to serve for approximately four decades before their eventual replacement.
Earlier, Starmer said that on 20 March, military officials would meet in the UK to present a “stronger and robust” plan to strengthen the peace agreement and guarantee Ukraine’s future security.
Starmer: Military officials to develop plan for Ukraine peace agreement
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