Former NATO chief: UK security is at risk

In June 2025, the UK government published a new Strategic Defense Review. The document prepared under the supervision of George Robertson, former UK Defense Secretary and NATO Secretary General from 1999 to 2003 contained more than 60 expert recommendations aimed at strengthening Britain’s security. Nearly a year after its release, the Defense Investment Plan has still not been made public, and the planned modernization of the armed forces continues to face serious financial obstacles.

It is hardly surprising that the current stalemate frustrates Robertson. As reported by BBC, the politician is said to criticize the British government for its “corrosive complacency” and reluctance to undertake costly but necessary defense investments. According to the former NATO chief, the United Kingdom’s national security is currently in serious jeopardy, and potential assistance from the United States in the event of war is unlikely. On Tuesday, Robertson is expected to deliver a speech in which he will state, among other things, that the British people are “in danger,” and that the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force are too weak to ensure effective defense of the nation’s territory.

One of Robertson’s key arguments is that the United Kingdom now faces a choice between strengthening its security and maintaining high spending on social programs. In 2025, defense expenditures in London amounted to 2.3% of GDP (£66 billion), while social welfare spending for 2025–2026 is projected to reach as much as 10.6% of Gross Domestic Product.