Keir Starmer will attend his final summit as Prime Minister in Ankara, Turkey, where NATO leaders brace for potential disruption from Donald Trump. The US President has demanded allies immediately increase defence spending to 5% of GDP, threatening consequences for those that lag behind.
Defence Spending Pressure Mounts
The UK and European allies face renewed calls to ramp up military budgets. Last year, under sustained White House pressure, NATO members agreed to hit a 5% GDP target by 2035, including 3.5% on core defence. However, Starmer's recently published Defence Investment Plan (Dip) only raises spending to 2.68% by 2030, leaving a £4.7 billion shortfall that would-be PM Andy Burnham must address.
Matt Whitaker, US ambassador to NATO, said: “Some allies are doing more than others. Poland, the Nordic countries, the Baltic countries lead the way. But many others are lagging behind, and President Trump expects all allies to step up immediately and not only get on a sustainable path to the 5% but to get to 5% as soon as possible.”
Trump's Iran War Stance Creates Tensions
Trump could wreak havoc at the summit amid heightened tensions over the UK and European allies' refusal to join his military campaign against Iran. The US President has repeatedly lashed out at NATO, previously branding it a “paper tiger,” and has targeted Italian PM Giorgia Meloni by posting a picture of her with the caption “restraining order needed” on the eve of the summit. Meloni dismissed his claims, accusing him of pandering to enemies of the West.
Support for Ukraine and European Defence
No10 said support for Ukraine and bolstering Europe's defence will be high on the agenda, underlining the UK's commitment to NATO. Starmer's official spokesman stated: “This is a new era for Nato, which is why at Ankara, alongside our allies, the Prime Minister will be focused on building a stronger and more European NATO than ever before, ready to support Ukraine and face the long-term threat posed by an increasingly reckless and dangerous Russia.”
John Healey resigned as Defence Secretary over the Dip plan, which left huge questions over how the UK will meet the NATO target. Starmer had intended to use the summit to tout the UK's defence investment blueprint, but the backlash has overshadowed his final appearance on the world stage.
