Key facts
- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will publish the UK's defence investment plan before the NATO summit in Ankara.
- Starmer discussed efforts to end the Iran conflict with U.S. President Donald Trump.
- Starmer and Trump agreed on the need to restore freedom of navigation.
- Starmer reiterated Britain's readiness to support a peace agreement implementation.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer informed NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte that the United Kingdom will publish its defence investment plan prior to the alliance's upcoming summit in Ankara. During their call, Starmer and Rutte agreed on the necessity for allies to bolster collective defence and accelerate responses to shared and evolving threats. A Downing Street spokesperson stated that Starmer updated Rutte on the plans for the defence investment strategy, emphasizing his commitment to its release before the Ankara summit. The NATO Secretary General welcomed the UK's increased defence investment, viewing it as a significant contribution to the alliance and its efforts to address current threats. The UK's defence investment plan had originally been due last year. Starmer also reiterated his commitment to raising defence spending to 3% of GDP in the next parliament, emphasizing national security as the government's top priority despite budget constraints.