UK and German defence chiefs warn about Russia and say rearmament is not warmongering

Britain's and Germany's top military chiefs wrote that Russia's forces have shifted westward and are rearming, and they framed increased defence spending and industrial expansion as necessary responses; NATO has set a target for members to spend 5% of GDP on defence and security by 2035.

Two of Europe’s most senior military leaders published a joint appeal in the wake of the Munich Security Conference. They said Russia’s military posture has shifted westward and that its forces are rearming and adapting lessons from the war in Ukraine. The authors argue this changed posture requires a step change in European defence and security spending. They also emphasised deeper UK–Germany cooperation and wider industrial preparations to sustain capabilities. Main points: - The chiefs reported that Russia’s forces have shifted westward, are rearming, and are learning from the war in Ukraine, which they say raises the risk to NATO countries. - NATO leaders committed at the Hague summit to aim for 5% of GDP on defence and security by 2035, and the UK and Germany have announced sustained increases in defence spending. - The UK and Germany are deepening cooperation under the 2024 Trinity House agreement and are expanding defence industrial capacity, including UK munitions factory plans and Germany’s permanent brigade stationing and funding changes. Summary: The article frames rearmament as a defensive, moral response rather than warmongering and links that case to concrete spending and industrial measures already under way. The next defined milestone cited is NATO’s 5% of GDP target by 2035 as governments implement their defence and industrial plans.