British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Tuesday his commitment to increasing UK defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, emphasizing that this move would only

be implemented when financially feasible and following a comprehensive review of defence strategy.

"I am committed to that 2.5% within our fiscal rules, but that strategic review needs to come first," Starmer stated as he prepared to attend a NATO summit in Washington.

Starmer, whose Labour Party secured a landslide victory in last week's election, has made fiscal prudence a cornerstone of his campaign.

In 2014, NATO members agreed to allocate 2% of GDP to defence spending to maintain the alliance's military readiness. This year, 23 of the 32 member countries are expected to meet that target. However, in response to growing threats from Russia, there have been calls to increase the target to 2.5% or more.

An April analysis of UK defence spending by the previous Conservative government projected that NATO-qualifying defence expenditure would reach 2.32% of GDP in the 2024-2025 financial year.

Starmer indicated that Labour plans to conduct a review of Britain's defence challenges and capabilities.

On his first international trip as prime minister, Starmer aims to elevate Britain's profile on the global stage, leveraging his substantial parliamentary majority to demonstrate his government's stability as a partner.

He stated that the summit would be an opportunity to showcase unity following a missile strike on a children's hospital in Kyiv.

"My message is very, very clear: This NATO summit is an opportunity for allies to stand together to strengthen their resolve, particularly in light of that appalling attack, against Russian aggression," he said. Photo by Gertrud Zach, Wikimedia commons.