UK Abandons Plans to Fully Withdraw Troops From Germany by 2020 - Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - UK State Secretary for Defense Gavin Williamson has ordered hundreds of the country's servicemen to remain on German territory despite earlier plans for a complete troop withdrawal, local media reported.

The UK's original plans provided for the full withdrawal of troops by 2020, but Williamson's order stipulates that 200 UK servicemen and their family members will remain in Germany after this deadline, The Sunday Times newspaper reported.

According to the news outlet, soldiers belonging to the engineer regiment will be among those remaining in Germany.

The UK will also keep its Sennelager base in northwestern Germany, which is intended for practicing tank warfare and large-scale maneuvers.

Besides this, London also plans to maintain a facility for armored vehicles in the city of Monchengladbach.

The sources in the UK Defense Ministry explained that Williamson's order should demonstrate to Russia that the United Kingdom will continue to defend Europe even after Brexit.

READ MORE: Germany Scraps Plans to Send High Speed Trains to the UK by 2020

The United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in June 2016, with the negotiations between the two parties expected to last until March 29, 2019.