U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer swept to power promising to raise living standards and grow the British economy. But now his premiership has an urgent and altogether different focus: preserving European security in a volatile world order upended by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Starmer’s commitment to increase defense spending to 2.5% of the gross domestic product by 2027 and rising to 3% over the next decade — funded by cutting the aid budget — is the latest fallout from the shockwave of Trump’s apparent refusal for the U.S. to be the final guarantor of security in Europe.
"I believe we must now change our approach to national security so we are ready to meet the challenges of our volatile world,” Starmer said at a press conference from Downing Street on Tuesday, as he confirmed that his decision to increase military spending had been "accelerated” by U.S. comments and actions in recent weeks. "Tyrants like Putin only respond to strength.”
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