LONDON — Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans to increase the United Kingdom’s defense expenditure to 2.5% of its gross domestic product (GDP) by the year 2027, in response to what he terms a new and uncertain period in Europe. Currently, the U.K. allocates 2.3% of its GDP to defense, and while the government had previously set a goal to raise this to 2.5%, it had not established a specific timeline.
Addressing lawmakers, Starmer revealed that this increment represents an additional 13.4 billion pounds (approximately $17 billion) annually. He also shared that the long-term objective is for defense spending to reach 3% of GDP by 2035. The decision is part of a broader effort among European nations to strengthen their defensive capabilities as tensions ripple across the continent.
This development occurs amid shifting global dynamics, as the U.S., under President Donald Trump’s leadership, reshapes its foreign policy. Trump’s approach has been perceived as marginalizing Europe, particularly as he seeks swift resolutions to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Furthermore, Trump’s skepticism toward NATO is well-documented; he has frequently criticized the alliance, insisting that many European countries are not contributing their fair share to collective security.
Starmer is scheduled to visit Washington, D.C., for a meeting at the White House with President Trump on Thursday. In a related move, the prime minister has expressed readiness to deploy British troops to Ukraine as part of an international force to uphold a ceasefire. However, he emphasized the necessity of an American “backstop” to ensure that any peace agreement remains durable. So far, Trump has yet to affirm any security commitments for Ukraine.
