British general takes charge of force preparing for deployment to Ukraine after ceasefire
A British general who served in Iraq and Afghanistan has taken command of the multinational headquarters preparing to send forces into Ukraine once fighting stops.
Lieutenant General Tom Bateman replaced French Major General Jean-Pierre Fagué at a ceremony at the Multinational Force Ukraine operational headquarters in Paris.
The deployment is conditional on what Coalition of the Willing leaders have called a "credible cessation of hostilities". Exercises are planned over the coming months to test whether the force can move and operate once that condition is met.
Who is Tom Bateman?
Lt Gen Bateman joined the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in 1995 and served in the Balkans in armoured, reconnaissance and dismounted roles.
He later deployed to East Timor as a United Nations military observer.
His staff appointments included Chief of Staff of 7 Armoured Brigade during a deployment to Iraq and Military Assistant to the Deputy Commander of the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
After promotion to Colonel, Bateman served as Chief of Staff at the Special Operations Joint Task Force headquarters covering Syria and Iraq. He later worked at the MOD on Operation Shader, the UK's military campaign against the Islamic State group.
Bateman commanded the Royal Dragoon Guards from 2013 to 2015 and 11 Infantry Brigade from 2018 to 2020.
He subsequently became Assistant Chief of Staff J3 at Permanent Joint Headquarters, where his responsibilities included the UK Carrier Strike Group's 2021 deployment, the evacuation from Kabul and the military response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
From 2022 to 2024, Bateman commanded 1st (United Kingdom) Division as its headquarters prepared to become a two-star Land Component Command for the Nato Allied Response Force.
He took command of the Standing Joint Force Headquarters in April 2024. The headquarters provides command and control for the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force and can deploy a headquarters at 24 hours' notice.
Lt Gen Bateman was appointed MBE in the 2011 New Year Honours and CBE in 2017 for gallant and distinguished services in the field.
He held the rank of major general in his previous command and has taken over Multinational Force Ukraine as a lieutenant general.
What is Multinational Force Ukraine?
The Multinational Force Ukraine's operational headquarters in Paris has been led by Major General Fagué, a former commander of the French Army’s 1st Division.
It was established to turn the political pledges made by members of the Coalition of the Willing into military plans for Ukraine that had been worked on by more than 200 military planners from 30 countries.
The UK and France jointly lead the initiative and have agreed to rotate command of the force between British and French officers. A French officer will now serve as Bateman's deputy.
If activated, MNF-U would operate inside Ukraine with the agreement of the Ukrainian government. Its land component would train and help re-equip Ukrainian forces, while its air and maritime elements would be intended to support safer skies and seas.
The operational headquarters is currently in Paris. The original command plan announced in 2025 said it would rotate to London after 12 months, while a separate coordination headquarters led by a British major general would be established in Kyiv when the force deploys.
Russia has opposed the proposed deployment and said foreign troops sent to Ukraine after an agreement would be treated as legitimate targets.
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