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| Keir Starmer |
Ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague, which will be held in June 2025, the UK will be forced to agree to increase defense spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035. This decision is part of a NATO initiative to strengthen the alliance's military power and is aimed at appeasing former US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticized European allies for insufficient military budgets.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had previously stated his "ambition" to reach a level of 3% of GDP for defense, but did not give a firm commitment on time. Now, under pressure from NATO and taking into account the proposals of the alliance's Secretary General Mark Rutte, the UK will have to adopt a tougher target of 3.5% of GDP, as well as allocate an additional 1.5% for defense infrastructure, intelligence services and cybersecurity. Together, this will increase total defense spending to 5% of GDP.
Such an increase in spending will require a significant increase in the budget — by about 30 billion pounds annually, which is equivalent to an increase in the basic income tax rate by about 4 pence. This creates political tension in the government, as it is necessary to find a balance between defense financing and social programs.
Britain, traditionally considered one of the leaders of NATO in Europe, seeks to maintain its status, especially given the country's role in nuclear deterrence and military integration with its allies. However, experts note that achieving the goal of 3.5% of GDP is an ambitious task, given the economic realities and the political situation in a number of NATO member countries.
As part of the new defense strategy announced by Starmer, the UK plans to expand the production of submarines, modernize the army and aviation, and create a cyber command to counter daily cyber attacks. This will allow the country to become a "combat-ready, armored nation," ready to fend off threats from Russia and other potential adversaries..
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