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A sharp warning over Europe’s security readiness has emerged after Keir Starmer cautioned that Russia could pose a direct threat to NATO if European nations fail to accelerate defense spending and military modernization. Starmer reportedly described Europe as a “sleeping giant,” warning that delays in strengthening military capabilities could embolden adversaries amid rising geopolitical instability.
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NewsTranscript
00:00The road ahead is straight and it is clear.
00:05We must build our hard power, because that is the currency of the age.
00:11We must be able to deter aggression.
00:14And yes, if necessary, we must be ready to fight.
00:20NATO has warned that Russia could be ready
00:24to use military force against the alliance by the end of this decade.
00:30At the outset, it is important to be clear.
00:34We do not seek conflict.
00:38Our objective is lasting peace.
00:44Ursula, thank you for that presentation.
00:46It's always a real pleasure to follow you on this stage
00:49as we work ever more closely together.
00:53Ladies and gentlemen, for many years,
00:57for most people in the United Kingdom,
01:00war has been remote.
01:03Something that concerns us deeply, but which happens far away.
01:09But now, we feel the solidity of peace.
01:14The very ground that we stand on,
01:17softening under our feet.
01:20It is the job of leaders to be ahead of these seismic shifts.
01:26Yet that is against the grain of history.
01:31Time and again, leaders have looked the other way,
01:34only rearming when disaster is upon them.
01:38This time must be different.
01:42Because all of the warning signs are there.
01:46Russia has proved its appetite for aggression,
01:50bringing terrible suffering to the Ukrainian people.
01:54Its hybrid threats extend across our continent,
01:59not just threatening our security,
02:01but tearing at our social contract.
02:05Collaborating with populists who undermine our values.
02:09Using disinformation to sow division.
02:13Using cyberattacks and sabotage to disrupt our lives.
02:17And deepening the cost-of-living crisis.
02:22Now, it's true that Russia has made a huge strategic blunder in Ukraine.
02:28And that Russian casualties number well over a million.
02:33But even as the war goes on,
02:36Russia is rearming.
02:39Reconstituting their armed forces.
02:41An industrial base.
02:43NATO has warned that Russia could be ready
02:47to use military force against the alliance
02:50by the end of this decade.
02:53In the event of a peace deal in Ukraine,
02:56which we're all working hard to achieve,
02:59Russia's rearmament would only accelerate.
03:02The wider danger for Europe would not end there.
03:07It would increase.
03:08So we must answer this threat in full.
03:13At the outset, it is important to be clear.
03:19We do not seek conflict.
03:22Our objective is lasting peace.
03:27A return to strategic stability and the rule of law.
03:32But in the face of these threats,
03:34there is only one viable option before us.
03:39Now, to break the convention of a thousand speeches,
03:43we are not at a crossroads today.
03:48The road ahead is straight and it is clear.
03:53We must build our hard power because that is the currency of the age.
03:59We must be able to deter aggression.
04:02And yes, if necessary, we must be ready to fight.
04:09To do whatever it takes.
04:11To protect our people, our values and our way of life.
04:18And as Europe, we must stand on our own two feet.
04:24Now, that means being bolder.
04:27It means putting away petty politics and short-term concerns.
04:31It means acting together to build a stronger Europe
04:36and a more European NATO
04:39underpinned by deeper links between the UK and the EU
04:45across defence, industry, tech, politics and the wider economy.
04:52Because these are the foundations on which our security and prosperity will rest.
05:00This is how we'll build a better future for our continent.
05:05True to the vibrant, free and diverse societies that we represent.
05:11Showing that people who look different to each other
05:16can live peacefully together.
05:19Rather, that this isn't against the tenor of our times.
05:24Rather, it's what makes us strong
05:27as we're prepared to defend it with everything that we have.
05:33Now, we are not the Britain of the Brexit years anymore.
05:39Because we know...
05:41APPLAUSE
05:48And that is because we know that, in a dangerous world,
05:53we would not take control by turning inward.
05:57We would surrender it.
05:59And I won't let that happen.
06:02That's why I devote time as Prime Minister
06:04to Britain's leadership on the world stage.
06:07And that's why I'm here today.
06:09Because, I am clear,
06:12there is no British security without Europe,
06:15and no European security without Britain.
06:19That is the lesson of history,
06:21and is today's reality as well.
06:25APPLAUSE
06:31So, together, we must rise to this moment.
06:35We must spend more,
06:37deliver more,
06:38and coordinate more.
06:40And, crucially,
06:42we must do this with the United States.
06:47The US remains an indispensable ally.
06:52Its contribution to European security
06:54over 80 years is unparalleled.
06:59And so is our gratitude.
07:02At the same time,
07:05we recognise that things are changing.
07:08The US national security strategy
07:10spells out
07:12that Europe must take
07:14primary responsibility
07:16for its own defence.
07:19That is the new normal.
07:23Now, there have been a series
07:25of thoughtful interventions
07:26about what this means,
07:29including the argument
07:31that we're at a moment of rupture.
07:35Now, I would agree
07:36that the world has changed fundamentally,
07:40and that we must find new ways
07:43to uphold our values
07:44and the rule of law.
07:48But, in responding to that change,
07:52we must not disregard
07:54everything that has sustained us
07:56for the last 80 years.
07:59That could prove
08:01to be a moment of destruction.
08:05But, instead, I believe
08:07we must make this
08:08a moment of creation.
08:11Instead of a moment of rupture,
08:13we must make it
08:14one of radical renewal.
08:18So, rather than pretending
08:20that we can simply replace
08:22all US capabilities,
08:24we should focus on diversifying
08:26and decreasing some dependencies.
08:30We should deliver
08:31generational investments
08:32that moves us
08:34from over-dependence
08:37to interdependence.
08:41I'm talking about a vision
08:43of European security
08:44and greater European autonomy
08:46that does not herald
08:49US withdrawal,
08:51but answers the call
08:53for more burden-sharing
08:55in full
08:55and remakes the ties
08:58that have served us so well.
09:02because we know
09:04the value
09:04of what we have.
09:07The NATO alliance
09:09is a phenomenon
09:10in human history.
09:12It achieved something
09:14that leaders
09:15had been trying to do
09:17for centuries,
09:18from Westphalia
09:20to the Congress of Vienna
09:21to Versailles.
09:23After centuries of conflict,
09:26the founders of NATO
09:28finally united our continent
09:30in peace and security.
09:34Our militaries,
09:36that once faced each other
09:38on the battlefield,
09:40now stand side by side,
09:43pledged to each other's defence.
09:45It is the shield
09:47over our heads
09:48every single day.
09:52Now, while some
09:53on the extremes
09:54of our politics
09:55chip away at this alliance,
09:57we defend it.
10:00I am proud
10:01that my party
10:02fought for NATO's creation,
10:05what our then
10:07Foreign Secretary
10:07Ernie Bevan called
10:09a spiritual union
10:10of the West.
10:12And we've shown
10:14our fidelity
10:14to that ideal,
10:16asserting each other's
10:18sovereignty,
10:19as we did
10:20on Greenland,
10:22and, crucially,
10:25coming to each other's aid
10:26under Article 5.
10:29We fought together
10:31in Afghanistan
10:33at terrible cost
10:35to many
10:36in my country
10:38and across many
10:39allied countries.
10:42And so I say
10:43to all NATO members,
10:46our commitment
10:47to Article 5
10:48is as profound
10:51now
10:51as ever.
10:53And be in no doubt,
10:56if called on,
10:58the UK
10:59would come
11:00to your aid
11:01today.
11:10now Europe
11:11must not turn
11:12its back
11:13on this.
11:14Instead,
11:15we must move forward
11:17together
11:17to create
11:19a more European
11:20NATO.
11:22As I see it,
11:24Europe is a sleeping
11:26giant.
11:27our economies
11:29dwarf Russia's
11:31more than
11:32ten times over.
11:33We have huge
11:35defence capabilities.
11:37Yet,
11:38too often,
11:39this adds up
11:40to less than the
11:41sum of its parts.
11:43Fragmented
11:43industrial planning
11:44and procurement
11:45have led to gaps
11:47in some areas
11:49and massive
11:50duplication
11:51in others.
11:52Europe
11:54has over
11:5520 types
11:56of frigate
11:57and ten
11:58types
11:59of fighter jet.
12:00We have over
12:01ten types
12:02of main
12:03battle tank.
12:04Whilst the
12:05US
12:05has one,
12:07it's wildly
12:09inefficient
12:10and it harms
12:11our collective
12:12security.
12:14Now,
12:15the US
12:15security umbrella
12:16has allowed
12:17these bad
12:18habits to
12:19develop.
12:20But now,
12:21we must break
12:22them.
12:23And we have
12:24shown that
12:25we can
12:26coordinate
12:26to great
12:27effect,
12:27as Ursula
12:28has just
12:28set out.
12:30Supporting
12:31Ukraine
12:31in a way
12:32that Putin
12:33never really
12:34imagined.
12:36Creating
12:36the coalition
12:37of the willing,
12:38which now
12:39covers
12:39almost all
12:41of Europe
12:41as well
12:42as Canada
12:43and our
12:44friends
12:44in the
12:45Asia-Pacific.
12:46And going
12:47further in
12:48our support
12:49with the
12:50UK announcing
12:50over £500
12:52million this
12:53week for
12:53more air
12:54defence
12:54for the
12:55Ukrainian
12:56people.
12:57To meet
12:58the wider
12:59threat,
13:00it is clear
13:01that we are
13:02going to have
13:03to spend
13:04more,
13:05faster.
13:06And we've
13:07shown our
13:08collective
13:08intent in
13:10this regard
13:11as well,
13:12with the
13:12historic
13:13agreement to
13:14increase spending
13:15to 5% on
13:17security and
13:18defence.
13:19And we're
13:21prepared to
13:21explore innovative
13:22solutions,
13:23so we're
13:24stepping up
13:25work with
13:26like-minded
13:26allies on
13:27options for a
13:28collective
13:29approach to
13:30defence
13:30financing to
13:31help accelerate
13:32this vital
13:33investment.
13:36And as we
13:37increase
13:38spending, we
13:40must use it
13:41to its full
13:42potential.
13:43We must come
13:44together to
13:46integrate our
13:47capabilities,
13:48spending and
13:49procurement, and
13:51build a joint
13:52European defence
13:53industry.
13:55I welcome the
13:56steps that have
13:57been taken so
13:58far, which could
14:00allow us to
14:00participate in
14:02the £90
14:02billion euro
14:03loan to
14:04Ukraine.
14:05I hope we
14:06can work
14:06together like
14:07this going
14:08forward.
14:09Because, look,
14:12the logic of
14:13defence is
14:14solidarity and
14:15collective effort,
14:17not market
14:18access.
14:19In a crisis,
14:21our citizens
14:21expect us to
14:23be ready.
14:24So we need to
14:25deliver a step
14:26change in
14:27collaboration.
14:30And I'm proud of
14:31the work we're
14:32already doing
14:33together, delivering
14:35cutting-edge drones
14:36with Ukraine,
14:37developing next
14:38generation long-range
14:39missiles with
14:40Germany, Italy,
14:41and France,
14:42working with our
14:44Jeff allies to
14:45protect our
14:45northern flank,
14:47doubling our
14:48deployment of
14:48British commandos
14:49in the Arctic,
14:51taking control of
14:52NATO's Atlantic
14:53and Northern
14:54Command in
14:55Norfolk,
14:55Virginia, and
14:56transforming our
14:57Royal Navy by
14:59striking the
14:59biggest warship
15:00deal in British
15:01history with
15:02Norway.
15:03We're building a
15:05fleet of warships
15:06to hunt Russian
15:07submarines and
15:08protect undersea
15:09infrastructure.
15:11We want to
15:12replicate this
15:12level of
15:13collaboration with
15:14other allies
15:15across the
15:16High North and
15:17the Baltic.
15:19And I can
15:21announce today
15:22that the UK
15:24will deploy
15:24our carrier
15:25strike group
15:26to the North
15:27Atlantic and
15:28the High
15:29North this
15:30year, led
15:31by HMS
15:33Prince of
15:33Wales, operating
15:35alongside the
15:36US, Canada,
15:38and other
15:39NATO allies,
15:40in a powerful
15:42show of our
15:43commitment to
15:44Euro-Atlantic
15:45security.
15:54That is also
15:55why we're
15:56enhancing our
15:57nuclear cooperation
15:59with France.
16:01For decades, the
16:03United Kingdom has
16:04been the only
16:05nuclear power in
16:06Europe to commit
16:07its deterrent to
16:09protect all NATO
16:10members.
16:11countries.
16:12But now, any
16:14adversary must
16:15know that in a
16:17crisis, they
16:18could be
16:19confronted by our
16:20combined strength.
16:23It shows beyond
16:24doubt how vital it
16:26is that we work
16:27together.
16:28So we must also
16:30look at what more
16:31we can do with the
16:32EU.
16:33We must go beyond
16:34the historic steps
16:36that we took at
16:37last year's UK-EU
16:39summit, to build
16:41the formidable
16:42productive power
16:43and innovative
16:44strength that we
16:45need.
16:47British companies
16:48already account for
16:49over a quarter of
16:51the continent's
16:52defence industrial
16:53base.
16:54They are job
16:56creating, community
16:57building machine,
16:59employing around
17:00239,000 people
17:03across the United
17:04Kingdom, including
17:06in Wales, where
17:07this month we're
17:09launching the first
17:10of five regional
17:11defence growth
17:12deals.
17:13We want to bring
17:15our leadership in
17:17defence, tech and
17:19AI, together with
17:21Europe, to multiply
17:23our strengths and
17:25build a shared
17:26industrial base
17:27across our
17:28continent, which
17:29can turbocharge
17:30our defence
17:31production.
17:33And that requires
17:35leadership.
17:36to drive greater
17:38coherence and
17:39coordination across
17:40Europe.
17:42That is what we're
17:43doing with Germany
17:45and France in the
17:47E3, working closely
17:49with EU partners,
17:51particularly Italy
17:53and Poland, as well
17:55as with Norway,
17:56Canada and Turkey.
17:59So my message today is
18:01the United Kingdom is
18:02ready.
18:02We see the
18:04imperative.
18:04We see the
18:05urgency.
18:06We want to work
18:08together to lead a
18:10generational shift in
18:11defence industrial
18:12cooperation.
18:15Now this includes
18:17looking again at
18:18closer economic
18:19alignment.
18:20government.
18:21We are already
18:23aligned with the
18:23single market in
18:25some areas to
18:27drive down the
18:28prices of food and
18:30energy.
18:31We are trusted
18:32partners.
18:34And as the
18:35Chancellor of the
18:36Exchequer said this
18:37week, deeper economic
18:39integration is in all
18:41of our interests.
18:42So we must look at
18:44where we could move
18:45closer to the
18:46single market in
18:47other sectors as
18:48well, where that
18:50would work for both
18:51sides.
18:53The prize here is
18:55greater security,
18:57stronger growth for
18:59the United Kingdom
19:00and the EU, which
19:02will fuel increased
19:03defence spending and
19:05the chance to place
19:07the UK at the
19:08centre of a wave of
19:09European industrial
19:10renewal.
19:13I understand the
19:15politics very well.
19:17It will mean
19:18trade-offs.
19:20But the status quo is
19:22not fit for purpose.
19:25And to me...
19:30And to me, there's
19:31no question where the
19:32national interest lies.
19:34And I will always
19:35fight for what's best
19:37for my country.
19:40I started today about
19:41talking about avoiding
19:43the mistakes of the
19:45past, like delaying
19:46action or fragmenting
19:48our efforts.
19:50But there's something
19:52else.
19:54In the 1930s, leaders
19:57were too slow to level
19:59with the public about
20:01the fundamental shift in
20:02mindset that was
20:04required.
20:04required.
20:05So we must work harder
20:07today to build
20:09consent for the
20:10decisions we must take
20:12to keep us safe.
20:14Because if we don't,
20:17the peddlers of easy
20:19answers are ready on the
20:22extremes of left and right,
20:24and they will offer their
20:26solutions instead.
20:27said, it's striking that the
20:31different ends of the
20:32spectrum share so much, soft
20:36on Russia, weak on NATO, if
20:40not outright opposed, and
20:43determined to sacrifice the
20:45relationship we need on the
20:48altar of their ideology.
20:50The future they offer is one
20:53of division and then
20:55capitulation.
20:56The lamps would go out across
20:59Europe once again.
21:01But we will not let that
21:04happen.
21:05If we believe in our values, in
21:08democracy, liberty, and the
21:10rule of law, this is the
21:12moment to stand up and to fight
21:14for them.
21:15That is why we must work
21:17together and show that by
21:19taking responsibility for our
21:21own security, we will help
21:23our people look forward, not
21:26with fear, but with
21:27determination and with hope.
21:31Thank you very much.
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