David Lammy to press Nato to increase military support for Ukraine
Foreign Secretary will attend his first meeting of Nato foreign ministers in Brussels
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Your support makes all the difference.David Lammy will press Nato to increase military support for Ukraine as he meets allies in Brussels on Wednesday morning.
The Foreign Secretary is also expected to call for Nato to deter co-operation between Moscow and other countries following the deployment of 10,000 North Korea troops to assist Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking ahead of his first Nato Foreign Ministerial Meeting, Mr Lammy said: “Investment in Ukraine’s security is investment in Euro-Atlantic and global security.
This Government has been clear that Europe must do more together now by increasing defence spending
“Ninety-nine per cent of military support to Ukraine has been from Nato allies.
“This support is critical to enabling Ukraine to defend itself against Russian aggression, and the UK and allies must double down on our efforts to ensure Ukraine prevails.”
His comments come as questions continue to be asked about the impact of a second Donald Trump presidency on Western support for Ukraine, after the incoming president said he wanted to end the conflict on “day one” of his term.
On Monday, Sir Keir Starmer said Ukraine needed to be put in the “strongest possible position for negotiations”, the first time the Prime Minister has acknowledged the possibility of a negotiated end to the conflict.
But he also stressed the UK would back Ukraine “for as long as it takes”.
At his meeting in Brussels, the Foreign Secretary is expected to warn that failing to increase support for Ukraine will embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has seen increasing support from countries such as North Korea and Russia.
Mr Lammy will also press European allies to increase defence spending, reaffirming the UK’s commitment to raise its own defence budget to 2.5% of GDP.
He said: “This Government has been clear that Europe must do more together now by increasing defence spending.
“This is a strategic imperative for our whole continent and is why the UK is committed to 2.5% as soon as possible.”
The Government has so far declined to set out a timetable for meeting its commitment to spend 2.5% of GDP on defence, saying it will do so in the spring following a strategic defence review.
The UK currently spends around 2.3% of GDP on defence.