Britain, France, and EU Boost Defense Efforts Amid Ukraine Conflict
“You challenged Europe to step up—on Ukraine, on defense spending, on European security,” said U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. “And I can say that we have, we are, and we will continue to do so.”
Last month, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to increase the U.K.’s defense spending to 2.5 percent of GDP by 2027.
Following a high-profile meeting in London with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Starmer declared that the U.K. was willing to deploy troops to Ukraine as part of a potential peacekeeping force to uphold any future peace agreement with Russia.
Britain, France, and Ukraine are currently drafting the terms of such an agreement, which they plan to present to U.S. President Donald Trump.
Hegseth praised the U.K. and France’s efforts, calling them “very encouraging to watch.” However, he cautioned, “What the president has said time and again is, let’s not rush ahead. For lasting peace, security remains key.” He emphasized that while the U.K. and France are set to play a central role, further negotiations would shape additional aspects of the deal.
Meanwhile, leaders from all 27 EU nations convened for an emergency summit in Brussels, where they unanimously approved a bold new defense strategy. The plan includes a substantial increase in defense spending—potentially up to €800 billion—to strengthen the bloc’s military capabilities.













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