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Europe must follow Britain’s lead and “step up” defence spending to meet the needs of European security, chancellor Rachel Reeves warned.
Ms Reeves warned of a “generational moment” for Europe and said “all of us must step up and do more on defence”.
It comes after prime minister Sir Keir Starmer said Britain would hike defence spending to 2.5 per cent by 2027 with a further “ambition” to hit 3 per cent by the early 2030s.
“We are now facing another moment of change. A change that is happening before our eyes,” Ms Reeves wrote in the Daily Telegraph. “All of us must step up and do more on defence”.
European countries including France and Germany have signalled a need to increase defence spending, but details of how and when this will happen have been vague.
Sir Keir acknowledged his plans were accelerated by US president Donald Trump’s criticism of Ukraine and threats to withdraw security guarantees from Europe.
He is set to fly to Washington DC on Wednesday where he will meet with Mr Trump where he will follow in French president Emmanuel Macron’s footsteps to persuade him Europe has a plan for Ukraine.
