Russia has issued a stark warning to the UK over plans to increase defence spending, signalling the Kremlin’s readiness for confrontation with Britain if tensions escalate further.
The warning comes as Sir Keir Starmer pledged to raise Britain’s defence budget, targeting 2.5% of GDP by April 2027 with the ambition to reach 3% after the next election.
The move follows a reported £28 billion shortfall in the current UK defence budget and comes amid growing pressure from NATO allies to boost military capabilities.
US President Donald Trump has called for NATO members, including the UK, to spend 5% of GDP on defence.
Despite Starmer’s announcement at the Munich Security Conference last weekend, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has ruled out additional Ministry of Defence spending this year, even though military leaders are warning about rising threats from Russia.
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Kremlin spokeswoman Maria Zakharova responded sharply to the news, accusing Starmer of using defence spending for political purposes at home and asserting that President Vladimir Putin is ready for war. The statement underscores Moscow’s increasingly aggressive posture as tensions mount in Europe.
The UK government has argued that increased defence expenditure is necessary to deter aggression and maintain security amid Russia’s ongoing military operations in Ukraine.
Military analysts have suggested that the gap between Starmer’s ambitions and Treasury approvals could leave Britain vulnerable if threats from Moscow materialise.
With the political debate over defence spending intensifying, the UK faces a delicate balancing act between domestic budgetary constraints and growing international security commitments.
Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman said, “We view the British Prime Minister’s announcement of increased defence spending primarily as a response to the difficult domestic political situation in his country.
“This is against the backdrop of negative socioeconomic developments, including an influx of illegal migrants, dilapidated infrastructure, increased tax burdens on the population and businesses, and scandals affecting Starmer’s inner circle.”
Zakharova warned, “This destructive activity by the British authorities is being fully taken into account by both the Russian Foreign Ministry and the [secret services] in our country…. “No one ever publicises these details.”
She said that Putin has previously made it clear, “if Europe suddenly wants to fight us and starts, we are ready right now….if their aggressive itch doesn’t go away, we proceed.
“We would also recommend that the British government prioritise, first and foremost, the genuine interests of its own population, not the lobbyists of the military-industrial complex, which advocates for an unrestrained increase in defence spending”.
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