LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday pledged to increase the UK’s defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, citing a “new era of insecurity” in Europe and the need for a firm response to global threats.
The announcement comes ahead of Starmer’s visit to Washington, where he is expected to urge US President Donald Trump to maintain support for Ukraine and NATO.
Speaking in the House of Commons on Tuesday, Starmer said, “We must stand by Ukraine, because if we do not achieve a lasting peace, then the economic instability and threats to our security will only grow.”
He emphasised that the rising threats in Europe necessitate a stronger defence posture, warning that leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin “only respond to strength.”
The UK currently spends 2.3% of its GDP on defence. The newly announced increase will see an additional £13.4 billion ($17 billion) allocated annually, with a long-term goal of raising defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2035.
To finance the increase, Starmer confirmed that overseas development aid would be reduced from 0.5% to 0.3% of gross national income (GNI), a decision he acknowledged would involve “extremely difficult and painful choices.”
Message to Trump
The timing of the announcement is widely seen as an effort to reassure Washington of the UK’s commitment to European security, as concerns grow over Trump’s stance on NATO.
The US president has repeatedly urged European nations to take greater responsibility for their own defence, at one point calling for NATO members to increase their military spending targets to 5% of GDP.
Starmer is scheduled to meet Trump at the White House on Thursday, where he is expected to reaffirm Britain’s support for Ukraine and discuss potential security guarantees for European peacekeepers.
Both the UK and France have signalled a willingness to send troops to Ukraine to monitor a ceasefire if one is agreed with Russia, but they have indicated that any such deployment would require US backing.
“The nature of warfare has changed significantly. That is clear from the battlefield in Ukraine, and so we must modernise and reform our capabilities as we invest,” Starmer told MPs, adding that increased defence spending would “strengthen the UK’s position as a leader in NATO and in the collective defence of our continent.”
European allies on alert
Starmer’s announcement comes as European nations scramble to adjust to shifting US foreign policy under Trump, who has repeatedly questioned NATO’s relevance and suggested that European countries rely too heavily on American security guarantees.
My government is protecting the British people in this new era for national security. pic.twitter.com/HjhAQomd8K
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) February 25, 2025
The US president’s recent engagement with Moscow over a potential settlement to the war in Ukraine has raised concerns among European allies, who fear being sidelined in key negotiations.
During a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House on Monday, Trump dismissed concerns about NATO’s future, saying, “Europe is going to make sure nothing happens.”
Post-Brexit ‘reset’
Starmer’s Labour government has also framed the defence spending increase as part of a broader effort to rebuild ties with the European Union following years of strained relations over Brexit.
His administration has pushed for closer defence cooperation with European partners while maintaining strong transatlantic ties.
“We must reject any false choice between our allies, between one side of the Atlantic and the other,” Starmer said. “I want this relationship to go from strength to strength.”
