Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has welcomed NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to London, as Britain set out its backing for a stronger European contribution inside a stronger NATO — framed by Labour as a stronger Britain in a stronger Europe.
Rutte’s two-day UK visit included talks with Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Wednesday and meetings on Thursday with Streeting and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband.
After meeting Streeting and Miliband in London, Rutte said he was confident British ministers understood the need for a credible path of yearly increases towards NATO’s core defence spending target of 3.5% of GDP by 2035:
“I am absolutely confident that when it comes to the 3.5[%] they are there.”
“I am absolutely confident that when it comes to the yearly increments, they totally take it and accept it, that they have to be there.”
“There has to be a credible path. What that credible path exactly will be, we will see with the spending review next year.”
Burnham and Rutte at Harwell
On Wednesday, Burnham hosted Rutte at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, highlighting UK defence technology and innovation for NATO.
Burnham told Rutte that Britain’s NATO commitment was unchanged despite the change of prime minister:
“There’s been a change of prime minister but never any change in the UK’s unwavering commitment to Nato and our Nato obligations.”
“It’s critical for us always to show our firm commitment to Nato, and that’s what we will be doing today.”
Rutte described the UK as “one of the leading forces in Nato” and later praised Britain as “serious about security”.
NATO 3.0: a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO
In his Ditchley Foundation annual lecture, Rutte set out the idea of “NATO 3.0” — a rebalancing of the alliance so that Europe and Canada spend more, produce more and do more for their own security:
“To stay transatlantic, Nato is becoming more European. A Nato with Europe, and Canada, spending more, producing more, and doing more for their security. This is the idea of Nato 3.0.”
“Building for the future. A stronger Europe, in a stronger Nato.”
He said the United Kingdom has a central role in that stronger Europe inside a stronger NATO, pointing to Britain’s upgraded nuclear deterrent, conventional deployments across the Euro-Atlantic area, and leadership of a European deep precision strike initiative.
“The UK is already investing more in defence. And I welcome the new prime minister’s assurance that his government will meet its NATO commitments.”
Rutte also referenced his Harwell visit with Burnham to see defence innovation “near Oxford”, calling it part of a wider defence industrial revolution creating jobs across the Alliance.
Spending path under scrutiny
Britain is already lifting defence spending towards around 2.7% of GDP by 2027/28, with the 3.5% core target set for 2035. Rutte stressed allies cannot wait until the final year and then jump in one step:
“You cannot spend it today, but you can also not wait ’til 2035. And that is why you need a credible path towards that 3.5%, and yearly increments.”
He said he was “really happy” with Burnham, Miliband and Streeting “really committing to the 3.5%, but also committing to the need for a credible path to get there”.
Streeting: Britain’s defence lead in NATO
For Streeting, the London talks underline Labour’s determination to keep Britain a leading force in NATO while building the stronger European pillar Rutte described — a stronger Britain contributing to a stronger Europe inside a stronger Alliance.
As Defence Secretary, Streeting has responsibility for Britain’s defence strategy, the Armed Forces and relationships with NATO allies. His meeting with Rutte closes a UK visit that put innovation at Harwell, NATO 3.0 and the path to higher defence spending at the centre of Britain’s message to the Alliance.
