Britain announced on Tuesday that milestones in military spending increased, trying to send a strong signal to President Trump until Prime Minister Keir Starmer met him at the White House on Thursday.
Speaking to Parliament, Mr Stemmer said the UK will increase its military spending to 2.5 per cent of its domestic value in 2027, which will be 3 per cent by the end of its next government term, which ultimately means by 2034. He said the UK will fund a large amount of new spending by reducing its development spending.
The Labor government had previously promised to increase spending from the current 2.3% level to 2.5% of economic output, but no date was given for doing so. This move will increase spending by £13.4 billion (US$17 billion) from now until 2027.
“We have to change the national security posture because a generation of challenges needs to be passed down from generation to generation,” Starmer said.
Mr Starmer said the change would be funded by reducing overseas development aid from 0.5 per cent to 0.3 per cent, adding that he regrets the reduction. “Sometimes, the defense and security of the British people must always be the first,” he said.
Mr. Trump has long asked European allies to contribute more to Europe’s defense. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte recently called on NATO members to spend more than 3% of their economic output on defense.
Mr. Starmer reaffirmed the centrality of NATO and the Transatlantic Alliance, the security of Europe. This is different from the possible new German minister Friedrich Merz, who said after Sunday’s party election victory that Europe will have to develop a security strategy independent of the United States.
This is a developing story. Please check it for updates.
