British Prime Minister Keir Starmer Promises £13.4 Billion Investment in Defense Sector
London: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Tuesday that the UK will spend 2.5% of its GDP on defense by 2027. Starmer stated that Europe has entered a new era of insecurity, which requires a "generational response."
This announcement comes two days before Starmer is set to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. Starmer aims to persuade Trump to maintain U.S. support for Ukraine and the NATO alliance.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Starmer said, "We must stand by Ukraine, because if we do not achieve lasting peace, economic instability and threats to our security will only grow." He also added, "As the nature of this conflict changes, our response must be more sharply focused, and we must confront this new era with collective strength, as we have in the past."
Currently, the UK spends 2.3% of its GDP on defense, and the government had previously set a target of 2.5%, though no specific timeline was provided. Starmer clarified that this increase would add £13.4 billion ($17 billion) annually. He also stated that the goal is to raise defense spending to 3% of GDP by 2035.
To fund this increase, foreign aid will be reduced from 0.5% to 0.3% of national income, Starmer noted. He described this as "the biggest sustained increase in defense spending since the Cold War" and emphasized its necessity, stating that "tyrants like President Vladimir Putin only respond to strength."
The announcement comes as European countries are scrambling to strengthen their collective defense in the wake of the war in Ukraine, while Trump is reshaping American foreign policy, seemingly sidelining Europe as he aims to quickly end the war in Ukraine. Trump has long questioned NATO's value and refused to provide security for European countries.
Starmer is scheduled to meet Trump at the White House on Thursday. The UK has offered to send British troops to Ukraine to help safeguard a ceasefire, but Trump has not committed to providing security guarantees for Ukraine.
Starmer’s government seeks to strengthen defense cooperation with Europe as part of a "reset" with the European Union, following years of tensions after Brexit.
Starmer said, "We must reject any false choice between our allies, between one side of the Atlantic and the other." He added, "I will tell Trump, I want this relationship to go from strength to strength."
