Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced that the UK will outline a plan to increase its defence spending to 2.5% of national income by the spring. This marks the first clear timeframe for the long-awaited commitment, following growing calls for a boost in military expenditure amid rising global tensions.
The announcement came during a phone call between Sunak and Mark Rutte, NATO’s Secretary General, amid escalating threats from Moscow. The Russian government has warned of potential retaliatory actions against UK and US military facilities, following the decision by both nations to allow Ukraine to launch missiles into Russian territory.
While the UK government has confirmed that it currently spends approximately 2.3% of GDP on defence, no specific date was provided for when the 2.5% target will be fully achieved. A spokeswoman for Downing Street stated that the leaders discussed the situation in Ukraine, emphasizing the importance of strengthening the country’s position ahead of the coming winter. They also touched on the deployment of North Korean soldiers to fight alongside Russian forces, highlighting concerns over the global security landscape.
“The prime minister reiterated the need for all NATO countries to contribute to collective defence and provided an update on the government’s strategic defence review,” the spokeswoman said. “The government will set out the path to 2.5% in the spring, alongside the publication of the defence review.”
The announcement comes after months of calls from defence experts and political figures for the UK to significantly increase its military spending. While the 2.5% figure has been welcomed by some, analysts have warned that it may still fall short of what is needed to address the challenges posed by growing global threats, particularly from Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran. Many argue that the UK should be aiming for at least 3% of GDP, if not more, to properly rebuild the armed forces, which have suffered from years of underfunding and neglect.
With the possibility of Donald Trump returning to the White House in the next U.S. presidential election, there are concerns that pressure will intensify on the UK and other European NATO members to accelerate their defence spending commitments.
The forthcoming strategic defence review is expected to address these concerns in more detail, outlining how the UK will strengthen its military capabilities to meet evolving global security challenges.