PM Keir Starmer will urge NATO nations to boost defence spending in response to growing global threats. He casts a major review setting out UK schedules to spend tens of billions of pounds on the military.
How Will Starmer Address Global Threats at NATO Summit?
The PM will utilise NATO’s 75th-anniversary meeting in Washington, his first international trip since succeeding power, to highlight Britain’s “cast-iron” commitment to the defence alliance. He will state that further increases in spending from partners will help NATO tackle the nature of today’s dangers including Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, persistent instability in the Middle East and the advancement of authoritarian states.
What Are Starmer’s Plans for UK Defence Spending Increase?
A strategic defence review will be undertaken next week but is likely to take up to a year to complete. This means increasing pressure on Starmer to demonstrate a timetable for the UK to increase defence spending to its target of 2.5% of GDP. The Labour counterpart and ex-first sea lord Alan West stated: “I think we ought to say when we are going to get to 2.5%. ‘When the situation allows’ is not good enough – Putin will not wait for our situation to be good enough before he attacks.”
How Will Starmer Strengthen Transatlantic Ties on US Visit?
The PM, who is escorted on the US trip by his wife, Victoria, is to assemble Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday for their first bilateral discussions, where he will strive to underline the strength and strength of the transatlantic connection despite the change in government.
His first meeting with the US president would usually be a highlight but, with inquiries raging about Biden’s healthiness and age and the American election just four months away, some careful choreography may be required. The Bidens will then host the Starmers and other world heads and their spouses at a glitzy White House dinner.
How Will Starmer’s NATO Speech Influence the UK Defence Policy?
Starmer will utilise the NATO summit to highlight the UK’s “unshakeable” responsibility to Ukraine at a moment when Moscow has escalated its attacks, shooting a children’s hospital in Kyiv this week, and with the US election in November getting uncertain. The potential return of Donald Trump, whose continued support for NATO and Ukraine remains unclear, could throw a shadow over the summit. Downing Street stated it was not aware of any planned discussions between the UK contingent and Trump or other Republicans during the visit.
Starmer is hoping to hold discussions with Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian president, on the sidelines of the meeting after the two met at the D-day monuments in France during the general election movement.
PM Starmer will be escorted by David Lammy, the foreign secretary, and John Healey, the defence secretary. He will strive to use the summit to build connections with European leaders as he attempts to seal an EU-UK security pact, and he will also be joined by Nick Thomas-Symonds, the minister for European relations. The UK currently expends 2.32% of GDP on defence, the equivalent of £64.6bn a year, which would have to steadily advance to £87.1bn a year to reach the 2.5% target.