Editorial: Nato exercise drill including 20,000 British troops is a timely display of resolve

The involvement of 20,000 British military personnel in a Nato drill will be unveiled today.

The exercise, involving 31 nations, will rehearse the response of the defence alliance to a Russian invasion.

It could hardly be a more timely display of resolve, and it is very good to see the United Kingdom at the heart of it.

It is almost two years since President Putin invaded Ukraine.

The good news is that the aggression has not worked out as easily for the Russian dictator as he had hoped, and probably assumed, that it would.

The bad news is that there has been ambivalence about Ukraine’s fate in many wealthy nations that should recognise Kyiv as an ally, and see Russia under its current leadership as a threat to democratic and civilised western values.

Something similar can be said about the Hamas attacks in Israel, which have not worked out as well for the Islamic extremists as they might have hoped (although that is a different, and in many respects more perilous situation for the country in the Middle East that shares our western values).

Meanwhile, there is another huge global threat to civilised and democratic values posed by China, particularly towards Taiwan – and all the more so given the recent election results in the latter (the very fact of elections being a contrast with China).

Nato is a crucial western alliance, and the former US president Donald Trump was right when in office to express exasperation about some countries in Europe not pulling their weight or paying their way when it comes to defence. He might have mentioned Ireland, which relies on the UK for defence, and is not making any significant moves towards Nato.

But Mr Trump, who could easily return to the White House, is sending alarming signals about Nato itself. This exercise display will, it is hoped, concentrate minds in capitals around the world.