Keir Starmer welcomes EU moves to boost defence spending

Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed an EU move to increase defence spending that was decided at an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday.

The package includes loans and weakened deficit rules in a bid to boost the continent’s military forces.

Speaking after a call with EU leaders earlier, the prime minister said the “historic” move was “another sign of Europe stepping up”.

It comes as Sir Keir tries to persuade European countries to join a “coalition of the willing” to deter Russia in the event of a peace deal in Ukraine.

According to UK officials, about 20 countries are interested in joining the coalition, although would not necessarily offer to send troops, but instead provide other support.

In recent weeks, EU leaders have repeated longstanding promises to boost Europe’s military capabilities, after voicing concerns the continent cannot rely on US security support under President Trump.

At a summit in Brussels on Thursday, they backed plans to jointly borrow €150bn to lend to EU governments for military expenditure.

The European Commission has also proposed diverting regional development funds towards defence, alongside an emergency suspension of the bloc’s rules on government debt and deficit levels.

Starmer was briefed on the plans in a call earlier with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, alongside the leaders of Canada, Turkey, Norway and Iceland.

Afterwards Downing Street said the prime minister “applauded the progress” made at the Brussels meeting.

He also discussed plans for the “coalition of the willing” and noted a meeting in Paris next week would be an “important moment to drive forward planning,” a No 10 spokeswoman added.

The UK and France have said they are willing to provide peacekeeping troops to Ukraine and are urging other European countries to make the same commitment.

But Sir Keir has said that in order to be effective, their presence in Ukraine must be backed by security guarantees from the US.

US President Donald Trump has so far avoided committing to such support, instead arguing that the presence of American workers in Ukraine as part of a potential minerals deal, would be sufficient to deter Russia from further invading Ukraine.

Russia has flatly rejected such a move saying it would amount to “direct, official and unveiled involvement of Nato members in the war against Russia”.

Talks between the US and Ukraine aimed at reaching an agreement will take place next week in Saudi Arabia.

Ahead of the talks, Trump said on Friday he was “strongly considering” new sanctions and tariffs on Russia, following a wave of overnight strikes on Ukraine.

Writing on social media, he added: “To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!!!”

UK Defence Secretary John Healey earlier returned from Washington DC, where he met with his US counterpart Pete Hegseth to discuss ending Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Speaking in Washington, Healey said: “It’s a lasting, secure peace that we all want to see. We’ve got a big role to play in Europe and we are determined to do that.”

Hegseth dismissed as “garbage” suggestions that under Trump’s leadership the US was becoming “pro-Russia”.

He said the president was “working with both sides in a way that only President Trump can”.

Progress towards an agreement appeared to take a step back after Trump and Zelensky had a dramatic row in front of cameras in the Oval Office.

However, Hegseth said the US president was “very encouraged by the signs we’re seeing” from Ukraine.

On Thursday the UK’s Ministry of Defence signed a £30m deal with an Anglo-American firm to provide Ukraine with Altius 600m and Altius 700m systems, designed to monitor an area before striking incoming targets.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves also announced a £2.26bn loan to Ukraine, funded by the profits generated from frozen Russian assets.

On Friday, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed they had received the first tranche of the loan, amounting to £752m.

In a social media post, he said: “I am grateful to Keir Starmer, the UK government and our G7 partners for the mechanism to make Russian money work for Ukraine.

“We expect all sovereign assets of the Russian federation to be confiscated and transferred to benefit our country in the future.”

Earlier this week, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey urged the prime minister to seize the frozen Russian assets held in the UK.

Sir Keir replied there were “ongoing discussions” but that the situation was “complicated”.

The Liberal Democrats are now calling on the attorney general to publish the legal advice on taking the assets.

The party’s shadow attorney general Ben Maguire said: “We need the chance to properly scrutinise the decision-making on this crucial issue, so the UK can then make the right choice for Ukraine.”