How UK is battling to delay 5% defence target as Nato split over funding

The UK is confident that it can push its allies to delay the increase in defence spending until 2035, a plan first revealed last week by The i Paper.

The US and Nato have been clear that allies must significantly raise their defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP in the face of growing Russian aggression.

They wanted Nato members to reach the spending target by 2032.

But the UK has been working to push back the deadline amid spending pressures, proposing a new deadline of 2035 with a review in 2029.

They appear to have been successful, with sources confirming that the UK is confident that the deadline will be fixed at 2035.

The final text for a joint statement has reportedly already been drawn up and includes this plan.

The plan would see allies spend 3.5 per cent on traditional military equipment and a further 1.5 per cent on defence-related expenses, which diplomatic sources said would include domestic infrastructure such as transport.

The delayed deadline would mark a diplomatic victory for the UK and will be sigh of relief for Rachel Reeves, buying the Chancellor more time to finance the commitment.

But it is still a tall order in a time of slow economic growth and high cost of living.

The UK currently spends 2.3 per cent on defence, which is due to rise to 2.5 per cent in 2027.

Earlier this month, the Prime Minister refused to commit to a timeline for increasing spending to even 3 per cent on defence, saying he did not have a roadmap to get there.

The alliance has been split over the new increase, which has been spearheaded by the US whose ambassador said it was non-negotiable.

The Polish delegation had been pushing to bring the deadline much earlier to 2030, diplomatic sources said, supported by Baltic countries.

Poland is leading the way on defence spending at more than 4 per cent, and is due to reach the 5 per cent target by next year, and shares a border with Russia.

But several Nato countries still have not met the last spending target, of 2 per cent, more than 10 years after it was agreed.

Spain, which spent just 1.24 per cent of GDP on defence last year, has said it will not commit to the 5 per cent commitment, claiming it can achieve its Nato military requirements with less than half as much money.

“We fully respect the legitimate desire of other countries to increase their defence investment, but we are not going to do so,” Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez said.