politics
Poland Calls on UK to Publish Defence Plan Ahead of NATO Summit as Britain Sets July 2026 Target
Poland's foreign minister called on Britain to release its long-delayed defence spending blueprint ahead of the July meeting in Ankara. The request comes amid recent UK ministerial resignations and a gap between current British outlays and NATO targets.
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Poland's foreign minister Radosław Sikorski urged the UK Government to publish a robust defence plan at NATO's upcoming summit in Ankara, Turkey, GB News reported. He stated that Britain must back its diplomacy with military force to remain a global player. Sikorski said: "If you want to be a global player, you need to back up your diplomacy with force.
He added that Britain possesses convening power and intelligence assets but must demonstrate capability with ships or brigades when required. The UK Government has not yet published the Defence Investment Plan, which was due in Autumn 2025, GB News reported. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy stated on June 23 that the Government plans to publish the plan before July 7, 2026.
Sir Keir Starmer resigned on June 23, adding complexity to Britain's position ahead of the summit, GB News reported. Former Defence Secretary John Healey resigned on June 11 and wrote in his letter that the plan's proposed £13.5 billion in extra funding left a £14.5 billion shortfall.
Healey stated that cross-government work completed in January confirmed rising demands on defence, yet the Treasury had not committed the needed resources.
Poland has more than doubled its defence spending since February 2022 and will allocate 4. NATO members pledged in 2025 to reach 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2035. Britain currently sits 1.4 percentage points below that target, equivalent to just over £40 billion, GB News reported.
Sikorski noted a Polish saying that the finance minister is the first enemy and said all members must meet pledges made at the Hague summit. The NATO summit in Ankara will take place over July 7–8, 2026.
