Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is considering accelerating plans to boost defence spending ahead of his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump this week. He is considering increasing military expenditure from 2.3 to 2.5 per cent of GDP before 2030—earlier than the previous Conservative target.
One option, originally proposed by former Defence Secretary Sir Ben Wallace, would bring forward the increase to 2028. Economists estimate that advancing the target by a year would add £6 billion annually to the defence budget, further straining public finances.
Sir Keir is expected to assure President Trump on Thursday that Britain is ready to "step up" and play a more significant role in ensuring European nations contribute more to their security. Over the weekend, he held discussions with EU leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, to rally support for increased military spending across the continent.
Simon Case, the UK's former top civil servant, suggested that Sir Keir will arrive in Washington with a concrete plan to push European NATO members toward greater defence commitments. Writing for The Telegraph, he stated that both Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron, who is also scheduled to meet President Trump, will present private proposals to demonstrate their commitment to ending Europe's reliance on outdated security assumptions.
Meanwhile, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has expressed strong support for increased defence spending in response to U.S. signals that European security is no longer a top priority for Washington. Speaking to The Telegraph, she emphasized the shifting geopolitical landscape and reaffirmed her commitment to raising the budget to 2.5 per cent.
Mr Case noted that this moment presents an opportunity for Sir Keir and other European leaders to redefine NATO's European security strategy. He called it a "huge test" but one that the Prime Minister appears well-prepared for.
President Trump has frequently criticized Europe for inadequate defence spending, urging nations to commit 5 percent of their GDP to defence. Macron, ahead of his U.S. visit, has indicated that France is considering significantly increasing its military budget to meet that level.
On Saturday, Sir Keir held talks with President von der Leyen, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to coordinate defence strategies ahead of his Washington trip. In his conversation with Zelensky, he emphasized that Ukraine must be central to any negotiations to end the war.
In a statement marking the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced that the UK will impose its largest sanctions package against Russia since the early days of the war in 2022.
While there has been no official confirmation of a revised defence spending timeline, government sources have not denied its consideration. One minister told The Mail on Sunday that "we're not going to wait until 2030" and suggested a new timeframe would be announced soon. According to ITV, the government is debating whether to implement the increase immediately or phase it in over two to four years.
Sir Keir is expected to argue in Washington that Europe can assume responsibility for a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine but will require a U.S. "backstop" to deter future Russian aggression. EU sources indicated that recent White House statements have heightened the urgency of a UK-EU defence agreement.
Brussels is preparing to enhance its security commitments beyond proposals made five years ago. Options include UK participation in EU-wide arms programs, such as developing advanced drone and robotics technology. Additionally, Britain may join EU peacekeeping missions in the Balkans, with sources suggesting this crisis will inevitably bring European allies closer together.
Meanwhile, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has urged Sir Keir to fund the increased defence budget by cancelling the Chagos Islands handover and reallocating funds from welfare and foreign aid to military spending. In a letter to the Prime Minister, she warned that delays in defence procurement have had "serious consequences."
Initially, Sir Keir planned to outline the roadmap to 2.5 per cent defence spending in his upcoming review this spring. However, he is now expected to announce the revised timeline during his U.S. visit.
Writing in The Sun on Sunday, Sir Keir stated: "President Trump is right that European nations must now take greater responsibility for our security. We must increase our defence spending, as we’ve promised here in the UK. We must play a bigger role in NATO. We have talked about this for long enough. Now it is time for action."
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