'More lethal alliance': NATO chief to call for 400% increase in air and missile defence

NATO needs a 400% summation successful aerial and rocket defence to support a credible deterrence, its caput wide volition accidental successful a code successful London today.

Mark Rutte volition telephone for a "quantum leap" successful corporate security, informing threats facing the confederation "will not vanish adjacent erstwhile the warfare successful Ukraine ends".

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It comes up of a acme successful The Hague aboriginal this month, erstwhile the UK and its NATO allies are expected to hold to a Donald Trump-inspired pledge to walk 5% of GDP connected defence and related areas.

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Speaking astatine Chatham House, Mr Rutte volition accidental the concern program is "grounded successful hard facts".

He volition add: "The information is, we request a quantum leap successful our corporate defence. The information is, we indispensable person much forces and capabilities to instrumentality our defence plans successful full. The information is, information volition not vanish adjacent erstwhile the warfare successful Ukraine ends".

Mr Rutte volition reason that to support credible deterrence and defence, NATO needs "a 400% summation successful aerial and rocket defence".

"We spot successful Ukraine however Russia delivers panic from above, truthful we volition fortify the shield that protects our skies," helium volition say.

"Our militaries besides request thousands much armoured vehicles and tanks, millions much artillery shells, and we indispensable treble our enabling capabilities, specified arsenic logistics, supply, transportation, and aesculapian support."

On threats against the alliance, helium volition warn: "Wishful reasoning volition not support america safe. We cannot imagination distant the danger. Hope is not a strategy. So NATO has to go a stronger, fairer and much lethal alliance."

Mr Rutte is besides owed to conscionable with Sir Keir Starmer and sojourn Sheffield Forgemasters with Defence Secretary John Healey today.

The premier curate has committed to walk 2.5% of gross home merchandise (GDP) connected defence from April 2027, with a extremity of expanding that to 3% implicit the adjacent parliament.

Although the government's connection has been cloudy connected the 3% figure, describing it arsenic an ambition alternatively than a commitment, Sky News understands the UK volition successful information hold to increase defence spending to 3.5% of nationalist income within a decennary arsenic portion of Mr Rutte's propulsion to rearm NATO and support the US connected side.

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As reported by our Security and Defence exertion Deborah Haynes, Sir Keir volition besides apt beryllium forced to perpetrate a further 1.5% of GDP to defence-related areas specified arsenic spy agencies and infrastructure.

This would bolster full broader defence spending to 5%, successful what is being described arsenic the "Hague concern plan".

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NATO countries person faced unit from US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly deed retired astatine European allies for not spending capable connected defence and taking vantage of American taxpayers.

However, Sir Keir is besides facing unit astatine location connected wherever his priorities lie, with galore of his ain MPs wanting to spot much backing connected welfare.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves volition present her spending reappraisal connected Wednesday, erstwhile wellness and defence are expected to beryllium the winners successful the process to allocate currency to authorities departments.

Cuts to the Department of Work and Pensions person already been announced, but different unprotected departments similar the Home Office and Department of Communities and Local Government could beryllium braced for a existent spending squeeze.