From the Guardian · · 1m 40s
Nato chief pushes Britain to raise defence spending steadily
Mark Rutte demands a credible annual budget increase plan to hit the 3.5% GDP target by 2035.
In brief
Mark Rutte demands a credible annual budget increase plan to hit the 3.5% GDP target by 2035. Nato's secretary general is publicly pressuring the UK government to commit to yearly defence spending increases rather than waiting until 2035 to meet its commitment. Originally reported by the Guardian.
Nato demands credible spending path
Mark Rutte told Britain it cannot wait until 2035 to increase defence spending to 3.5% of GDP. He wants yearly budget increases starting now to show a credible path toward the target.
“And that is why you need a credible path towards that 3.5%, and yearly increments.”
The 3.5% target explained
Britain signed up to spend 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2035, which amounts to nearly £30bn more than current plans. Current spending is set to level off at 2.7% through 2028-29.
Rutte meets UK defence leaders
The Nato secretary general met with Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband on Thursday, and Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Wednesday. He also spoke with defence industry representatives.
Government avoids spending commitments
Prime Minister Burnham and Chancellor John Healey have not committed to specific spending targets beyond 2029. Decisions on future defence budgets will likely be left to next year's government spending review.
Healey's earlier resignation
John Healey quit as defence minister in June because Prime Minister Keir Starmer would not commit to 3% defence spending by 2030. Healey had called for a clear path to meet Nato commitments.
Rutte warns of dangerous security era
At Ditchley Park in Oxfordshire, Rutte said Nato faces its most dangerous security environment in a generation, with wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. He called for more UK and European military commitment as the US reduces its role.
The bottom line
Nato's secretary general is publicly pressuring the UK government to commit to yearly defence spending increases rather than waiting until 2035 to meet its commitment.
