Cameron urges Alliance members to increase military spending

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron must push for NATO countries to set aside 2.5% of their GDP for defense in the face of various challenges around the world, according to an extract from a speech expected on Thursday.

During his speech, which his officials described as “major”, the British foreign minister appointed last November called on London’s allies to follow the UK’s path.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last month announced an increase in military spending from 2.3% to 2.5% by 2030.

“We are in a battle of wills. Britain and our allies and partners around the world, we must prove our adversaries wrong,” underlined David Cameron in excerpts from his speech.

The next NATO summit, scheduled for Washington in July, “must see all allies on track to fulfill their pledge made in 2014 (…) to spend 2%” of their GDP on defense.

“And then we must establish 2.5% as a new reference point for all new NATO allies,” he adds, emphasizing the importance of cooperation and innovation.

“If Putin’s illegal invasion” of Ukraine “taught us anything, it is that too little too late only encourages the aggressor,” he claims.