Nato Chief Says UK Must Set Clear Timeline for Defence Spending Rise to 3.5% of GDP
Mark Rutte warns Britain cannot wait until just before 2035 to reach Nato's new defence spending target, requiring nearly £30bn in additional annual military spending.
Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Thursday that Britain needs to present “a credible path” of annual increases to its defence budget in order to meet the alliance's target of spending 3.5% of GDP on the military by 2035, according to the Guardian.
Rutte's comments came a day after he met with the UK's prime minister, Andy Burnham, and were described by the Guardian as an unusually pointed intervention from the Nato chief.
The Nato secretary general said Britain could not delay significant increases in defence spending until shortly before the 2035 deadline, the report said. Meeting the 3.5% target is estimated to require close to £30bn in additional annual military spending, according to the Guardian.
Nato members agreed earlier this year to raise defence spending targets amid heightened security concerns across the alliance, though the timeline for individual countries to reach the new benchmark has remained a point of discussion among member states.
The Guardian's report did not include a direct response from Downing Street to Rutte's remarks.
Sources
- Nato head: Britain must show ‘credible path’ of annual defence budget increases — The Guardian — World
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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