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Jens Stoltenberg, NATO’s secretary general, emphasized during an interview with Press Association that UK must establish a credible plan for annual increases in defense spending to meet the alliance's goal of reaching 3.5% of GDP by 2035. He warned against complacency regarding Russian threats and highlighted the importance of steady progress towards this target rather than abrupt changes near the deadline.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Chancellor John Healey, and other key UK officials this week to discuss the country's defense spending commitments. Rutte emphasized that NATO member states must aim for a 3.5% allocation of GDP towards core defense by 2035, but he stressed the importance of establishing yearly increments to reach this goal rather than immediate or delayed action. Concerning recent Russian threats and actions in Ukraine, including President Vladimir Putin's significant military spending, Rutte underscored that NATO nations need to maintain a defensive edge. He expressed confidence in the UK's commitment to this target after meetings with British ministers who agreed on the necessity of incremental steps toward the 3.5% goal. However, Burnham has faced pressure from critics and former officials like John Healey, who previously argued for an interim target of reaching 3% defense spending by 2030 as a sign of seriousness about NATO commitments.
Written for “UK Defence Spending Goal” on 2026-09-18,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 16466 · logged 2026-09-17
The Nato secretary general told the Press Association that members of the defensive alliance “have to stick to that path” towards allocating 3.5% of gross domestic product – a measure of the size of the economy – for core defence spending by 2035, and set out “yearly increments”.
asserted
members → tell → increments
Mr Rutte said reaching the 3.5% target could not happen immediately because Nato countries needed time to expand their armed forces and defence industries.
uncertain
countries → say → forces
In an exclusive interview with PA on Thursday, the Nato chief said: “You cannot spend it today, but you can also not wait ’til 2035.
asserted
you → say → 2035
“And that is why you need a credible path towards that 3.5%, and yearly increments.”
asserted
you → need → increments
Warning about the threat from Russian President Vladimir Putin after a spate of hybrid attacks on European soil, Mr Rutte said: “Let’s not be naive about what he might do against Nato.”
uncertain
he → warn → Nato
He continued: “I think we are on the right path now to make sure that also going forward we stay ahead of the Russians.
asserted
we → continue → Russians
“But again, that means that all of us, the UK and all the others, have to to stick to that path to the 3.5% with yearly increments.
asserted
all → mean → increments
He has since appeared unwilling to recommit to the interim target and said he will set out the timetable for spending 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2035 at next year’s spending review.
asserted
he → appear → review
Read More
Mr Rutte praised Mr Burnham’s Government for its commitment to the Nato goal.
asserted
Rutte → read → goal
After meeting Mr Burnham on Wednesday, and Ed Miliband and Wes Streeting on Thursday, Mr Rutte told PA: “I’m really happy with the Prime Minister and also all the other key political players, including the Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary, really committing to the 3.5%, but also committing to the need for a credible path to get there.
“
asserted
Minister → meet → path
And of course, I understand that next year’s spending review … will probably lead to more decisions on what that path exactly will be.”
asserted
path → understand → decisions
He added that allies could not “in 2034 do in one step” the increase to 3.5% from the current level of defence spending, and that there “has to be a glide path”.
uncertain
allies → add → spending
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