Rutte says UK has credible path on defence spending after meeting PM Andy Burnham

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has met Prime Minister Andy Burnham in the UK for the first time, with defence spending at the centre of talks.

Rutte praised the UK as one of NATO's leading forces and said the government was totally invested in the alliance. He said the UK's commitment showed the transatlantic alliance was becoming more European and that a stronger Europe would mean a stronger NATO. He also argued defence spending could bring a societal dividend in jobs and economic growth, pointing to UK technology, industry and universities.

The meeting came amid pressure over Britain's spending plans. NATO members have agreed to boost defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, while UK expenditure is expected to rise to about 2.7% next year. Rutte said the UK government wanted to reach 3.5% by 2035 and that it could not hold at 2.6% or 2.7% before jumping in 2034. He said he was totally confident about the 3.5% target and about yearly increases, but added the exact path would be set out in next year's spending review.

In an interview, Rutte was pressed on whether the UK would meet 3% of national income by 2030. Former Defence Secretary John Healey resigned because he did not believe the previous government would hit that figure by 2030, and the new government has not explicitly committed to it. Rutte did not confirm the 2030 date, saying only that there had to be a credible path.

Security threats also loomed over the visit. Rutte described Russian drone strikes in western Ukraine, close to the Polish border, as evidence of increasingly reckless behaviour by Russia and President Putin, and of his desperation. Asked whether NATO should intercept Russian drones over Ukrainian territory if they approached a NATO border, Rutte said there were limits to what he could discuss publicly but that NATO did everything to keep its territory safe. He was later told the drones were not intercepted by NATO while still over Ukraine. Asked if Russia could attack or invade a NATO country in coming years, Rutte said people should not be naive about what Putin could do, but argued NATO was strong enough to deter him, adding that the alliance must remain strong in two, three and five years.

Rutte also answered questions about the Red Sea, where Houthis backed by Iran have increased control over a key shipping route. He said the area was outside NATO territory but that the alliance was coordinating with allies, and that European allies were likely talking to each other. NATO would help if it could, he said.

In a separate interview, Sir Richard Dearlove, head of MI6 from 1999 to 2004, warned that the planned increase to 3.5% would not happen until 2035 and said many experts believed spending needed to rise quickly now. He was disappointed that John Healey had avoided setting a target date for reaching 3% in the next budget, and criticised the state of the Royal Navy and the need to protect energy infrastructure. He called for a clearer government statement on the seriousness of the threat and an information campaign similar to those in Sweden and Finland. He identified grey or hybrid warfare as the main threat from Russia, saying Moscow was probing NATO airspace and waters.

The US also featured in coverage of the wider alliance picture. President Trump said on Truth Social that major progress was being made towards establishing a US Army base in Poland, calling it a historic step for the US-Polish alliance. The remarks came despite European concerns that a US review could sharply reduce troop levels on the continent.