For the first time since the British elections, the UK Prime Minister met, on the sidelines of the NATO Summit, Keir Starmer It is US President Biden. The focus of the agenda was the Palestinian issue and Ukraine.
Furthermore, in his speech today, Starmer will ask the leaders of NATO member states to send Russian President Vladimir Putin a clear message of unity in their support for Ukraine.
At his first international summit since Labour won the British general election, Starmer was warmly welcomed by NATO leaders.
Shortly after becoming prime minister, Starmer said he would honour the outgoing Conservative government’s promise to provide £3bn a year in military aid. in Ukraine by 2030-31 and later if necessary.
“NATO was founded by the generation that defeated fascism. They understood not only the value of our power, but the power of our values,” the British Prime Minister will emphasize in his speech.
“These values are under attack once again. Putin needs to hear a clear message from this summit – a message of unity and determination, that we will support Ukraine with whatever it takes, for as long as it takes, in order to preserve our shared values and our shared security,” he added.
Ministerial visits
New British Foreign Secretary David Lammy visited Germany, Poland and Sweden over the weekend to underline their joint support for Ukraine.
In turn, British Defense Secretary John Healy went to Kiev to express to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the Labour government’s “unwavering” support for his country.
Healy added that the new British government would step up military aid promised by the previous Conservative government in April and promised further deliveries of munitions, missiles, ships and artillery.
Increase in defense spending
Starmer indicated on Tuesday that he intended to increase Britain’s defense spending to 2.5 percent of the country’s GDP, but gave no specific timetable.
At the same time, the British Prime Minister told journalists accompanying him on the plane that took him to Washington that defense and security are his government’s priorities.
Source: RES-MPE
Read more
What Ukraine gained from the NATO Summit: From F-16s to the “irreversible path to integration”