London, April 13 (EUROPE PRESS) – The British government has announced that it will increase military spending by 5 billion pounds sterling (5.6 billion euros) over the next two years “to face the challenges of a declining world.” complex”, referring to “threats from Russia and China”.
The UK’s aim is to set defense at 2.5 per cent of GDP over the long term. The government’s plan is to strengthen stockpiles, modernize the country’s nuclear company and the next phase of the AUKUS program, a strategic partnership with Washington and Canberra for the Indo-Pacific region.
“We saw clearly last year how global crises affect us at home, with Russia’s horrific invasion of Ukraine, which pushed up energy and food prices,” British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said.
Thus, he declared that “the United Kingdom is ready to stand” and indicated that “to invest” in British forces in the long term, the country “will be prepared for the challenges of today and the future”. “
The annual defense review report, which seeks to emerge from geopolitical threats, recognizes the priority as “the fundamental danger that Russia poses to European security and denying Moscow any benefit from the illegal invasion of Ukraine.”
The second document reinforces London against the challenges posed by Beijing at the military, financial and diplomatic level. “The Prime Minister has set the direction across government for a consistent, coherent and robust approach to China, rooted in the national interest and aligned with our partners,” the 10 Downing Street statement read.
“We will strengthen our national security, we will guarantee the security of economic technology bonds and the supply of intelligence expertise, so that we will never again be vulnerable to the actions of a hostile power,” the president added.
Sunak, who mentioned that this decision is made after the largest increase in defense spending since the Cold War in 2020, indicated that he will discuss the contribution of NATO with his American and Australian allies “to defend our assets from Ukraine to the South China Seas”.
Both Sunak and his fellow Australian, Anthony Albanese, are in California to meet with US President Joe Biden to discuss the massive AUKUS defense pact, which could culminate in an agreement for the release of the US Army’s nuclear submarines.
San Diego is the headquarters of the 11th submarine fleet and is also home to more than 50 surface ships, making the city the largest US Navy installation on the West Coast.
