Keir Starmer will 'set out a plan to raise defence spending to 2.5% by Spring' as tensions with Russia rise
by Henry Moore · LBCBy Henry Moore
The UK will reportedly “set out plans” to boost defence spending to 2.5% of national income next spring as tensions with Russia continue to rise.
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Sir Keir Starmer reportedly confirmed the plan in a phone call with NATO secretary general Mark Rutte in the wake of Russia’s threat to target UK and US military facilities.
It comes after Starmer’s government gave Ukraine permission to fire British-built long-range missiles into Russia.
The UK currently spends 2.3% of national income on defence.
Read more: Zelenskyy promises 'serious response' following Russia's use of new hypersonic missiles
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No specific date was given by Starmer during the phone call, Sky News reports, as the two men "began by discussing the situation in Ukraine and reiterated the importance of putting the country in the strongest possible position going into the winter".
A Downing Street spokesperson told the publication: "The prime minister underscored the need for all NATO countries to step up in support of our collective defence and updated on the government's progress on the strategic defence review.
"His government would set out the path to 2.5% in the spring."
Labour has been under increasing pressure to confirm the boost in defence spending, with military officials warning of the threat Russia poses to Europe.
However, some have suggested 2.5% will still be well below what is needed to combat the rising threat the UK and its allies face.
LBC has contacted the Ministry of Defence for comment.
This news comes after Vladimir Putin said Russia will ramp up production of the new “unstoppable” hypersonic ballistic missile it fired at Ukraine on Thursday.
Known as Oreshnik, the intermediate-range rocket cannot be intercepted by existing technology, the Russian president told a meeting with his ministry of defence, according to state media outlet RIA Novosti.
Only Russia has access to this “unstoppable” missile, he reportedly said.
It comes after the UK and the United States authorised Ukraine to fire Western-made missiles into Russia, an escalation the Kremlin has warned could drag Kyiv’s allies into the conflict.
Zelensky also urged the West to undertake a "serious response to Putin's intimidation" on Friday, explaining that the "Russian missile threat" can't be ignored.
"There is no countermeasure to such a missile, no means of intercepting it, in the world today. And I will emphasise once again that we will continue testing this newest system. It is necessary to establish serial production," Putin said.
The Kremlin has said it will begin mass producing the missiles following the US and UK’s decision to allow Kyiv to strike Russia with long-range Western weapons.
Putin’s forces hit the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Thursday in an attack the Kremlin said was retaliation for the decision.
"Russia conducted combat tests of the 'Oreshnik' hypersonic missile system in response to the aggressive actions of Nato countries against Russia," Putin said in the video message on Thursday.
"In response to the use of American and British long-range weapons on 21 November of this year, the Russian armed forces launched a combined strike on one of the facilities of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine.
"In combat conditions, one of the newest Russian medium-range missile systems was tested, among other things. In this case, with a ballistic missile in a nuclear-free hypersonic equipment."
In response, Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Putin is 'testing' the West’s support of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said: "The world must respond. Right now, there is no strong reaction from the world.
"Putin is very sensitive to this. He is testing you, dear partners. It is clear who the sole culprit of this war is—who started it on February 24th and who continues to pour all resources into its continuation. He must be stopped.
"A lack of tough reactions to Russia’s actions sends a message that such behaviour is acceptable. This is what Putin is doing."