Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to increase the UK's defence spending to 5% of its GDP by the year 2035- in line with new targets set to be announced at the NATO summit in the Netherlands.
The 32 member state alliance is expected to agree to the new 5% spending goal- 3.5% of which will be core defence spending with 1.5% being made up of spending on defence related areas.
The new figure represents a marked increase from NATO's previous defence spending expectation of 2% of GDP - with Starmer having pledged only earlier this year to reach 2.7% in 2027 and 3% by 2034.
The increases come after US President Donald Trump said in January that the 2% figure was "not enough" and that NATO members should be spending 5%.
Former Army intelligence officer Colonel Philip Ingram says the increase is recognition of the threats NATO faces.
IN: NATO is beginning…
OUT: …benefit for the US.
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