March 13 () –
The British Government has announced that it will increase military spending by 5 billion pounds sterling (5.6 billion euros) over the next two years to “face the challenges of an increasingly volatile and complex world,” in reference to the “threats from Russia and China”.
The UK’s intention is to set defense spending at 2.5 percent of GDP over the long term. The government’s plan is to bolster current munitions stocks, modernize the country’s nuclear company and finance the next phase of the AUKUS program, a strategic alliance with Washington and Canberra for the Indo-Pacific region.
“We have seen very clearly in the last year how global crises affect us at home, with Russia’s terrible invasion of Ukraine, which has driven up energy and food prices,” said British Prime Minister Rishi. Sunak.
Thus, he has stressed that “the United Kingdom must be ready to stand firm” and has indicated that, “by investing” in the British Armed Forces in the long term, the country will be “prepared for the challenges of today and the future”.
The annual defense review report, which aims to respond to emerging geopolitical threats, identifies as a priority “dealing with the fundamental risk that Russia poses to European security and denying Moscow any benefit from its illegal invasion of Ukraine.” .
Secondly, the document establishes that London has to face the challenges that Beijing poses at a military, financial and diplomatic level. “The Prime Minister has set the direction across government for a consistent, coherent and robust approach to China, rooted in the national interest and aligned with our allies,” the 10 Downing Street statement read.
“We will strengthen our national defenses, from economic security to technology supply chains and intelligence expertise, to ensure that we are never again vulnerable to the actions of a hostile power,” the president added.
Sunak, who recalled that this measure is carried out after the largest increase in defense spending since the Cold War in 2020, has indicated that he will discuss the contribution to NATO with his American and Australian allies, “defending our values from Ukraine to the South China Seas”.
Both Sunak and his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, are in California to meet with US President Joe Biden to negotiate the grand AUKUS defense pact that could culminate in a deal for the delivery of nuclear submarines to the US Army. Australia.
San Diego is the headquarters of Submarine Squadron 11 and is also home to more than 50 surface ships, making the city the largest US Navy installation on the West Coast.
