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Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, emphasized during an interview with Press Association that the UK needs to commit to a yearly increase in defense spending to reach the 3.5% of GDP goal by 2035. He praised the current UK government's commitment but stressed the necessity for a credible and incremental approach towards this target. Stoltenberg also supported the UK’s stance against EU efforts to limit arms procurement to European manufacturers, advocating instead for an inclusive NATO defense industrial base.
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
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score +0.65 for article 16607 (high confidence, 2 verified quotes) · 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 → %
With Mr Putin willing to “sacrifice 1.2 million of his own people in Ukraine” and spend 50% of his state budget on defence, “we have to make sure that we stay ahead of them”, he said.
asserted
he → sacrifice → them
“I think we are on the right path now to make sure that also going forward we stay ahead of the Russians.
asserted
we → think → 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
Chancellor John Healey quit as defence secretary in Sir Keir Starmer’s administration in a row over funding, arguing that it was necessary to reach 3% by 2030.
Read More
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 → quit → review
Mr Rutte praised Mr Burnham’s Government for its commitment to the Nato goal.
asserted
Rutte → praise → 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
I → 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”.
The head of Nato also appeared to side with the UK in its pushback against the European Union’s efforts to encourage the bloc’s domestic arms industry by limiting the role of outsiders.
uncertain
head → add → outsiders
Mr Rutte said: “I agree with the British Government that we need to have a defence industrial base which is encompassing the whole of the alliance, from the US up to Turkey.
asserted
which → say → Turkey
“And I know some are saying, ‘Hey, buy European or buy this or buy that’,
asserted
some → know → that
but this type of protection will not help us.”
asserted
type → help → us
Following his talks with the UK Cabinet ministers, Mr Rutte said he had pushed to “do more in sharing the big innovation coming out of the UK with the rest of Nato.”
asserted
he → follow → Nato
“I was speaking to the converted, but if I have been pressing one thing, it is this: that we need to speed up innovation in Nato, and the UK is a leader here, and with the extra defence spending, it means also being able to spread faster these innovations amongst the Nato alliance.”
asserted
it → speak → alliance
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