PM Starmer seeks nuclear build-up in push for "war-fighting readiness"

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a sweeping overhaul of the country’s defence strategy, unveiling plans for major investments in the UK’s nuclear deterrent and submarine fleet while pledging to prepare the armed forces for “war-fighting readiness” amid increasing global instability.

Speaking to BBC Radio ahead of the government’s long-anticipated strategic defence review, Starmer said the international landscape had fundamentally changed, requiring the UK to bolster its military posture to deter potential conflict, per Caliber.Az.

“The world has changed: we need to be ready,” Starmer said. “If you want to deter conflict, then the best way to do that is to prepare for conflict.”

The review includes a commitment to invest £15 billion ($20 billion) in the nuclear warhead program and to construct up to 12 nuclear-powered submarines under the trilateral AUKUS security pact with the United States and Australia. The move represents one of the UK’s most significant military upgrades in decades and signals a clear shift toward countering emerging threats.

The defence blueprint comes as questions mount over America’s long-term security commitments to Europe—particularly under a potential second Trump presidency—and as NATO confronts ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine. Starmer’s government has already pledged to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, up from the current 2.3%.

However, Starmer remained vague about when the UK would meet the more ambitious 3% spending target—a level many NATO members are under pressure to adopt. Outgoing NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has urged allies to spend at least 3.5% of national output on core defense, while former U.S. President Donald Trump has called for 5%.

“We remain committed to increasing our defence spending, but we will do so in a sustainable and strategic way,” Starmer said, without setting a firm date.

The defence review is likely to face scrutiny from both opposition lawmakers and international partners who view increased spending as crucial in countering authoritarian threats, particularly from Moscow and Beijing.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has dramatically reshaped security calculations across Europe. This past weekend, Moscow launched one of its largest drone and missile attacks on Kyiv in months, while Ukrainian forces struck multiple airfields deep within Russian territory—underscoring the ongoing volatility of the conflict.

By Khagan Isayev