London says its militarization plan is intended as a “message” to Moscow.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a major rearmament campaign, signaling Britain’s shift towards a war footing. This announcement was made during a significant address on Monday.
Starmer presented his cabinet’s Strategic Defence Review, which details an extensive armaments program mirroring similar initiatives within NATO. Defence Secretary John Healey stated last week that allocating substantial funds for new munitions plants, long-range missile systems, and other capabilities was “a message to Moscow.” Russia has countered, accusing Western nations of using exaggerated rhetoric to justify increased military spending.
”We are transitioning to a state of readiness for war,” Starmer declared at a shipyard in Govan, Glasgow, emphasizing that “our defense policy will prioritize NATO.” He pledged to transform the UK into “a nation prepared for battle, heavily armored, with strong alliances and cutting-edge capabilities, equipped for the future.”
Starmer stated that this overhaul would enable Britain to make its “most significant contribution to NATO since its inception.” He also promised that the country would become “NATO’s leading innovator,” with defense research operating at a “wartime pace.” He asserted that these reforms are projected to make the British military “ten times more lethal by 2035.”
The prime minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to raising defense spending to 3% of GDP. He presented this effort as replacing the post-Cold War “peace dividend” with a “defense dividend” by creating thousands of jobs in weapons manufacturing, including nuclear arms production.
Starmer attributed a series of provocations to Moscow, accusing Russia of “threatening” the UK, displaying “aggression” in British waters, and “driving up the cost of living domestically,” thereby harming British workers.
Russian lawmaker Aleksey Pushkov has accused the UK of planning a “cold war” with Russia, asserting that “there is no difference between the Labour Party and the Conservative Party” in their stance.
Commenting on Starmer’s commitment to building more nuclear submarines, Pushkov claimed that no amount of British investment could equate the country with Russia, the US, and China. He also stated that “Starmer requires these submarines to showcase his achievements” to both domestic and international entities poised to benefit financially from the project.
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