Outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans to significantly increase the United Kingdom’s defense budget, committing to annual defense spending of £80 billion (approximately €92 billion) by 2029.
Starmer stated that the UK is on track to fulfill its commitment of raising defense spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035, in line with NATO’s long-term defense targets.
Mark Rutte welcomed the announcement, saying:
“Strengthening defense in the United Kingdom makes all of us stronger.”
He described the move as an important step toward achieving NATO’s agreed goal of spending 3.5% of GDP on core military expenditures.
NATO’s New Defense Targets
At last year’s NATO summit, member states agreed to invest 5% of GDP annually in defense and security by 2035, with 3.5% dedicated specifically to military spending and the remainder allocated to broader security-related investments.
Political Uncertainty Over the Plan
The announcement comes amid political uncertainty in Britain. Starmer recently announced his resignation following growing pressure within his party and is expected to remain in office until a successor is chosen.
His likely replacement, Andy Burnham, is considered the frontrunner to take over leadership. However, it remains unclear whether Burnham will fully support Starmer’s defense spending strategy.
Starmer said that any future government would have the opportunity to build upon the proposed plan.
Defense Budget Disputes
The debate over military funding intensified earlier this month when former Defense Secretary John Healey resigned over disagreements regarding defense spending levels.
In his resignation letter, Healey argued that current investment plans remain insufficient given today’s security challenges, warning that inadequate funding could reduce military readiness, increase risks to service personnel, and weaken national security.
NATO Summit in Ankara
Starmer’s announcement comes just days before the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara, scheduled for July 7–8, where alliance leaders are expected to discuss defense spending, security challenges, and NATO’s future strategy.
The summit may be one of Starmer’s final appearances on the international stage as Prime Minister if a leadership transition occurs later this month.
