LONDON — The security landscape in Europe is precarious, and President-elect Donald Trump is justified in urging NATO member countries to boost their military budgets, asserted Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Thursday.
Lammy declared that “the period of post-Cold War stability is definitively over,” emphasizing the need for Europe to take greater responsibility for its defense.
He commented, “Trump and JD Vance are spot on in stating that Europe must step up its efforts to secure its own territory. Ignoring the reality of Russian aggression is shortsighted.” These remarks were part of a speech in London where Lammy outlined the Labour government’s foreign policy approach, which he labeled “progressive realism.”
People frequently ask Lammy when global relations will stabilize, to which he responds, “They won’t. The future of security in Europe hangs by a thread.”
For years, Trump has shown skepticism towards NATO, questioning the alliance’s relevance and hinting that he might not commit to defending nations that do not meet defense budget targets.
This week, he proposed that NATO countries should aim to allocate at least 5% of their GDP to defense, a significant increase from the current 2% guideline. He also controversially mentioned the possibility of using military force to claim Greenland, which is an autonomous region under Denmark, a NATO ally.
Britain currently invests 2.3% of its GDP on defense but has plans to raise it to 2.5% in the near future.
Although Lammy acknowledged Trump’s unpredictable nature and harsh rhetoric, he suggested that actions taken during Trump’s presidency should guide responses more than mere words. He expressed skepticism that Trump would actually attempt to take control of Greenland and highlighted that concerns regarding NATO’s future surfaced during Trump’s previous term but ultimately did not materialize. “In fact, NATO is currently stronger, with more member nations and increased defense spending,” Lammy noted.
Lammy mentioned his friendship with Vance, who will serve as vice president, and emphasized the British government’s endeavors to establish a positive rapport with Trump’s circle. However, this endeavor has been complicated by inflammatory comments from Trump ally Elon Musk, who has used social media to attack Prime Minister Keir Starmer, even calling for his removal and imprisonment.
Lammy expressed his serious apprehensions regarding Musk’s recent behaviors but remarked that British officials have not pressed Trump or his team to address Musk’s controversial statements. “Musk has not been a topic of conversation with the Trump administration, as his role seems to be focused on domestic efficiency matters,” he stated, clarifying that he was unaware of any discussions around Musk during talks with the Trump team.
