Europe must be ready to fight, UK PM warns of Russia threat
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that Europe must be prepared to defend itself and, if necessary, be ready to fight, as he addressed world leaders at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.
According to the BBC, Starmer said Europe needed to strengthen its defence capabilities and be able to stand on its own when it comes to security commitments. He cautioned that Russia could accelerate its rearmament after any future peace deal in Ukraine, making it essential for European nations to deter aggression and protect their people and values.
Starmer announced that the United Kingdom would deploy its carrier strike group to the Arctic and High North as part of efforts to counter Russian threats. He said the operation would involve cooperation with the United States, Canada, and other members of NATO.
Reaffirming Britain’s commitment to Nato’s Article 5 principle, which treats an attack on one member as an attack on all, Starmer said the UK’s support remained unwavering. His comments followed earlier remarks by Donald Trump that had raised doubts about whether European allies would meet their defence obligations.
Earlier at the conference, Ursula von der Leyen described Starmer as a reliable ally and said Europe needed to take greater responsibility for its own defence.
Starmer also signaled a shift in policy by calling for closer economic alignment between the UK and the European Union. He said the post-Brexit arrangement agreed in 2020 was not fit for purpose and acknowledged that deeper cooperation would involve trade-offs, while arguing it would boost growth and support higher defence spending.
The speech came after a challenging week at home, marked by criticism over his earlier appointment of Peter Mandelson. Starmer told the conference he believed he had emerged stronger by the end of the week.