NATO secretary lauds Britain's strong defence commitment during UK visit

While delivering the Ditchley Foundation’s annual lecture in Oxfordshire, the NATO chief commended the United Kingdom for its serious commitment to security and its role in pushing back against Russia’s reckless campaign. He asserted that Russia’s efforts to block assistance to Ukraine would backfire, prompting even greater NATO aid for Kyiv. The address outlined NATO’s evolving strategy, including a collective target of 5% of economic output for defence spending by 2035, driven by threats from Russia and China and pressure from the United States.

Rutte emphasized that a stronger, more European NATO - dubbed “NATO 3.0” - would rely on increased contributions from Europe and Canada. He also praised Britain’s current trajectory, noting an expected rise in its defence budget to roughly 2.7% of GDP by 2027, and welcomed assurances from the new British prime minister to meet alliance commitments.