"The challenge of a generation": Starmer announced the biggest increase in defense spending in Britain since the Cold War

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced the largest increase in the country's defense budget since the Cold War. According to him, it is planned to reach 2.5% of GDP by 2027.

Keir Starmer made this statement during an unscheduled speech in the British Parliament before leaving for the United States for talks with President Donald Trump. In particular, the Prime Minister said that London is facing a generational challenge that requires an equally large-scale response and difficult decisions.

These difficult decisions will be felt "in the life of industries and in the homes of the British people," the Prime Minister added.

"We have to draw courage from our history, courage from who we are as a nation because courage is what our era demands of us," Starmer said.

He announced the largest sequential increase in defense spending since the Cold War.

"We will honor our commitment to spend 2.5% of GDP on defense. But we will move that goal closer to reaching that level in 2027," Starmer said.

This means that starting in 2027, the country will spend £13.4 billion more annually on defense.

Together with the costs of intelligence agencies, the expenditures will amount to as much as 2.6% of GDP, the official said.

The prime minister added that the next parliament should consider increasing defense spending to 3% of GDP.

In connection with such changes, the budget for foreign aid will have to be cut – it should decrease from this year's 0.5% of GDP to 0.3% of GDP in 2027, Starmer said.

"My first duty as prime minister is to ensure the security of this country. That is why we are increasing defense spending to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027. In an increasingly dangerous world, it is vital to protect the homes of the British people," he wrote on Facebook.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, earlier Trump demanded that NATO allies increase defense spending to 5%. His administration says that the United States will spend the same amount on defense.

The German government said it did not have the money in its budget. 5% is an unrealistic figure, the Bundeswehr said. At the same time, Berlin may continue to spend 2% of GDP on defense, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said.