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

Royal Navy chief says unified naval force will deter future Russian threats from the ‘open sea border’ to the north

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”.