Starmer Vows Defence Spending Hike Ahead of Ankara Summit

Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to finalize the United Kingdom’s defence investment roadmap before the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara, signaling a strategic shift in national security policy. The announcement follows a weekend dialogue with Secretary General Mark Rutte, aimed at fortifying the alliance’s response to emerging global threats.

Editorial·June 13, 2026·reads: 2,331

Starmer Vows Defence Spending Hike Ahead of Ankara Summit

The commitment comes under intense domestic scrutiny following the sudden resignation of Defence Minister John Healey. Healey departed his post on Thursday, citing a fundamental disagreement with the Prime Minister over the allocation of resources required to maintain Britain’s security posture.

Starmer is now pushing to elevate national defence spending to 3% of GDP throughout the next parliament. Despite significant budgetary pressures, the Prime Minister maintains that these investments remain a non-negotiable priority. The formalization of this plan is scheduled to coincide with the July 7-8 summit, serving as a test of the government's ability to balance fiscal discipline with defensive necessity.