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Nato leaders told to spend more on defence

Mark Rutte tells the EU summit there is no time to waste as Sir Keir Starmer presses for security guarantees for Ukraine

Britain and other EU countries must spend “much, much, much” more on defence to prevent a war with Russia, the head of the Nato alliance has told a summit of European leaders.

Mark Rutte told a lunch of EU leaders that Europe was in danger of falling behind because the bloc’s average defence spending figure, of 1.9 per cent, was below Nato’s minimum target of 2 per cent of GDP.

“To prevent war, we must spend more,” he said. “Because in a more dangerous world, 2 per cent will not be enough to keep us safe. We need to invest considerably more. We also need to replenish our stocks, and fast, there’s no time to waste reviving our defence industries. To ramp up defence production is an absolute must.”

The UK is spending about 2.3 per cent of GDP on defence and Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to increase this to 2.5 per cent. However, this new target is not expected to be reached until after 2030.

President Trump has demanded that European allies spend significantly more on defence or he will consider tearing up American security guarantees that have secured Europe’s defence since the end of the Second World War with the creation of Nato in 1949. To avoid a showdown Trump has called on Nato allies to spend 5 per cent of GDP on defence.

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Rutte is hosting a meeting of Nato leaders in June and pushing for a compromise target of 3.7 per cent of GDP to show Trump that European allies are ready to shoulder more of the burden. “I can assure you of one thing: it will be much, much, much more than 2 per cent,” he told EU leaders.

Italy, Spain and Portugal are all behind the minimum Nato spending target and both France and Germany have struggled to meet the obligation. Rutte was told that European countries, struggling with economic stagnation, high welfare spending and debt levels could not go beyond a maximum commitment of 3 per cent of GDP.

France has stressed, in opposition to a focus on Nato targets, that allies should make sure that military spending is boosting preparedness or investing in armaments, such as missile defence systems.

An Élysée source said: “There’s the question of Nato spending levels. We’re concentrating on EU capabilities.”

Sir Keir Starmer used an EU summit dinner to back Rutte’s call for higher spending, even though Britain is struggling to hit a target of 2.5 per cent of GDP.

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“Let’s be absolutely clear, peace will come through strength,” he said after meeting Rutte at the Nato headquarters in Brussels. “We need to see all allies stepping up, particularly in Europe. We must harden European defence.”

Starmer has called for Britain and the EU to co-operate on defence along the same lines as they do in science and research as members of the Horizon Europe programme.

Some EU countries, in particular France and Italy, are reluctant to open up new European defence procurement to British companies but Starmer insisted this would benefit both sides.

Keir Starmer and Mark Rutte at NATO headquarters.
Sir Keir Starmer backed Mark Rutte’s call to increase defence spending
OMAR HAVANA/AP

“We will be more successful in building the European defence sector and contributing more to our own defence, if we work together,” he was expected to say.

“Fragmentation would weaken us all. Instead, let’s maximise the industrial weight and clout that we have together.”

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He added that Ukraine has shown how technology was “transforming the battlefield” and said it was “vital” that Europe focused on research and development.

He said other aims of improved security co-operation could include military mobility and logistics across Europe and deepening co-operation to protect the West from state threats and sabotage, including on subsea infrastructure.

“We are ready to work together in all these ways and more,” he was due to say.

During the EU talks, Starmer, President Macron and Nordic countries supported a “coalition of the willing” for a Europe-led initiative of sending tens of thousands of troops to keep the peace in Ukraine, in the event of a peace deal later this year.

Germany and others are opposed and Poland and the Baltic States fear that such a mission would transfer military resources from Nato’s eastern border frontline with Russia leaving them exposed.

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The deployment is seen as critical in persuading Trump that European allies are serious about guaranteeing Ukraine’s security with the aim of unlocking American support to provide Patriot surface-to-air missile batteries and air cover.

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