Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cautioned that Keir Starmer’s election could send a detrimental signal to Russia and North Korea regarding UK defense policies. Sunak expressed concerns over Starmer's decision not to match the Conservative government's pledge to spend 2.5% of the GDP on defense. Sunak emphasized that decreasing defense spending would be ill-timed, citing an "axis of authoritarian states" including Russia, Iran, North Korea, and China. This statement followed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea, where he signed a mutual assistance pact with Kim Jong-un. Putin’s visit was speculated to be an attempt to secure further military support from North Korea for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Rishi Sunak warns of implications of Keir Starmer's defence spending stance on UK's relations with Russia and North Korea
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expresses concerns over Keir Starmer's decision not to match the Conservative government's defence spending pledge, citing potential implications on UK's defence policies and relations with Russia and North Korea.