Tri-Service

Fallon: "UK Must Modernise Nuclear Deterrent"

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said the UK must modernise its nuclear deterrent in response to Russia's modernisation of its nuclear arsenal.

Fallon voiced concern that Russian military planners may have "lowered the threshold" for the use of nuclear weapons and said Britain must update its own nuclear deterrent in response to Russian modernisation of its nuclear forces.

He went on to comment on America's consideration to provide lethal aid to Ukraine:

"Supplying weapons to Ukraine, an option under consideration in Washington, would escalate the conflict"

Britain backed a new effort by the leaders of Germany and France to try to halt the Ukraine conflict, Fallon told Reuters news in an interview during the Munich Security Conference.

But he said that territory taken by Ukrainian separatists since the Minsk agreement in September should "absolutely not" be recognised in any new ceasefire.