Nato Secretary-General Warns UK to Raise Defence Spending to 5% GDP Amid Russian Threat

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has urged the UK and other alliance members to increase their defense spending to 5% of GDP, warning that failure to do so could leave them vulnerable to Russian aggression. Speaking at Chatham House in London, Rutte highlighted that Russia is rapidly increasing its military production and could mount a credible attack on NATO territory within five years. He stressed the need for a 400% increase in air and missile defense to counter the threat from Russian missile technology, which can reach European capitals within minutes. Rutte also emphasized that rising defense spending might require tax increases, but politicians must be honest about the stark reality of the military threat. The push for increased spending comes ahead of a NATO summit in The Hague, where a new timeline for raising core defense spending to 3.5% and additional infrastructure investment will be discussed. UK opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer has agreed to the 3.5% target but faces pressure to clarify funding sources before upcoming budget decisions.