Rachel Reeves has called on the European allies to follow Britain’s lead and “step up” on the defense after Keir Stormers’s promise to increase expenses to 3 percent.
In a step to emphasize the rationale behind the controversial budget change wrote the chancellor in The telegraph It was the government’s duty to respond to Russian aggression by increasing defense spending to 2.5 percent of GDP in the next few years before moving forward after the next election.
“This is a generational moment for our continent. All of us have to step up and do more on defense, ”said Mrs. Reeves. “Therefore, in the coming days I will talk to European colleagues at G20 in South Africa about the importance of security and defense of our economies and how we can work together to strengthen them.”
The chancellor said Britain had risen on “every moment of history” as the world became less secure, referring Winston Churchill’s attitude to Nazi Germany, the post-war work government’s commitment to the founding of NATO and the former Conservative government’s support for Ukraine .
Mrs. Reeves’ comments come when US President Donald Trump pushes European allies in NATO to increase their own share of defense costs as the administrative brokers mediates an agreement with Russia to end the Ukraine war.
Sir Keir’s announcement to increase defense spending at the expense of foreign aid preceded his journey to Washington DC for his first meeting with the US president.
After the announcement, the Prime Minister told a press conference on Tuesday that the decision had been “three years in creation” since the full scale invasion of Ukraine of Russia and described his decision as “a generational moment”.
When asked if he would have announced a defense expenses if Donald Trump was not in the White House, Sir Keir admitted he agrees with the US president’s attitude towards defense. “Yes, it’s true that President Trump thinks we should do more, and I agree with him,” Sir Keir told journalists.
“It cuts with my thinking about this. And by more, I mean more capacity, I mean more coordination and I mean more expenses.”
Labor’s rhetoric also repeats the French President Emmanuel Macron and the incoming German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said after his Sunday election victory that the continent needed to throw its addiction to the United States.
Mrs. Reeves said in Telegraph that the government will publish a new defense industry strategy in the coming months “to deliver British jobs, skills and innovation” and argue should make defense equipment to sell to the world.
“It will be about reviving our hearts. It is a chance for government, industry and businesses to step up to the challenge and maximize the full potential of us – and the opportunities I know the UK can seize, ”she said.