Ahead of the Washington visit, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to increase the UK’s defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with a long-term goal of reaching 3% in the next parliament. The UK currently spends 2.3% of GDP on defence, and this move marks the largest sustained military budget increase since the Cold War. Starmer outlined that the rise will be funded by reducing overseas development aid from 0.5 to 0.3 percent of GDP, a decision that signals a shift in government priorities toward military modernization and nato commitments.