Keir Starmer arrived in Ankara on Tuesday for what is expected to be his final international trip as prime minister, seeking to shore up support for Nato amid concerns that Donald Trump could further destabilise the alliance with threats over defence spending. The summit of 32 member states comes at a crucial time, with Zelenskyy and Trump due to meet, and Nato chief Mark Rutte calling on allies to provide “clear and credible” plans to commit 3.5% of GDP to defence.
Downing Street said the prime minister and other leaders would be focused on “building a stronger and more European Nato” as they attempt to address Trump’s concerns. But Whitehall officials are worried Starmer could be sidelined, and the UK government has pushed back on pointed criticism from the US ambassador to Nato that “some allies are doing more than others”.
“Starmer seeks to rally European allies at Nato summit amid US pressure on defence spending and concerns over Trump.”
“We reject these claims. The UK has always met its Nato spending commitments and remains one of the top defence spenders in the alliance,” the prime minister’s official spokesperson told reporters, insisting Starmer did not expect a “dressing down” from Trump. The UK has pledged to raise defence spending to 2.7% of GDP by 2027-28, though there is no firm commitment to hit a 3% interim benchmark by the end of the decade.
Rutte also urged allies to continue supporting Ukraine, warning of the threat from an “increasingly reckless and dangerous Russia”. Downing Street noted that Russian military activity around Nato waters had surged, with a 30% increase in vessels threatening UK waters in the past two years, and Nato scrambling fighter jets to intercept Russian aircraft more than 700 times.
Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis said he wants Andy Burnham, the prime minister in waiting, to set out how he will reach the 3.5% target when he takes over. But Jarvis would not reveal whether he has spoken to Burnham in person yet. Starmer has been accused of leaving Burnham a £5bn funding gap in his defence investment plan.
Nato also announced new investments, including $40bn on antidrone capabilities and up to 10 Saab GlobalEye surveillance planes to replace its ageing AWACS fleet, a decision that passed over US planemaker Boeing. The UK insists its contribution to Nato “will not waver”, but with less than two weeks left in office, Starmer’s ability to shape the alliance’s future is uncertain.
