Speech

PM's remarks at the NATO Summit press conference: 11 July 2024

Prime Minister Keir Starmer's remarks at the NATO Summit press conference in Washington D.C. [11 July 2024].

Keir

Good evening thank you for being here, I really appreciate it. This is of course my first week as Prime Minister鈥

But I鈥檝e come here to Washington, three and half thousand miles from home鈥β

For a very simple reason.聽

Because every policy we have in pursuit of our missions鈥

Everything we鈥檙e going to do to improve people鈥檚 lives鈥

All that we hold dear鈥

Depends on our security.

That is our first priority鈥

It is聽always聽our first priority鈥β

I made that crystal clear to the British people in our campaign鈥β

And so I also came to this summit with a clear message. 聽

A message of enduring and unwavering commitment鈥β

To the NATO alliance.聽

To Ukraine.聽

To the collective security of our country, our continent, and our allies around the world.聽

I鈥檓 proud to represent a party that was instrumental in creating NATO 75 years ago.聽

It was Labour Prime Minister, Clement Attlee鈥

And a Labour Foreign Secretary, Ernie Bevin鈥β

Who fought so hard to make this a reality.聽

This is our history 鈥 and we鈥檙e proud of it鈥β

And I am determined to take that pride forward into the future.聽

So have no doubt - we will match our words with action.聽

We live in a new and dangerous era鈥

One defined by volatility and insecurity.聽

We face the generational threat of Russia鈥

Aided by the likes of North Korea and Iran.

Conflicts - rage across the Middle East and North Africa.

The challenge of China.聽

罢别谤谤辞谤颈蝉尘.听

And international institutions, that should be at the heart of the response鈥

Are being undermined.聽

Our collective reaction to this moment, will shape the world for decades to come.聽

So we must stand up for our interests.

But we must also stand up for our values.聽

Because it was that insight鈥

That unity of interests and values鈥

That guided Attlee and Truman in creating NATO 75 years ago.

We must mobilise what Bevin called鈥

Our 鈥渃ollective moral and material force.鈥

Because our values are聽not聽a point of weakness, as Putin may think鈥

They are the source of our strength.聽

NATO has become the most successful alliance in history鈥

Precisely聽because聽democracy, freedom and the rule of law鈥

were hardwired into the NATO Charter.聽

And that is the legacy we inherit today鈥β犅

An inheritance not just of an institution鈥

But of a duty and of service.聽

And it is聽our聽duty now鈥

To take these fundamental principles鈥

And adapt them to meet the test of our times.聽

That starts in Ukraine.聽

Together with our allies today鈥β

We have reaffirmed our unshakeable support鈥

For Ukraine鈥檚 ultimate victory.

Our determination - to deliver justice for the awful crimes that Russia has committed.聽

You will have all seen the scenes this week in Kyiv鈥β

Russia using some of the deadliest weapons in its arsenal鈥β

On innocent children.聽

Striking a hospital.聽聽

When I went to Kyiv, I saw for myself the devastation and inhumanity of Russian aggression.聽

I went to Bucha, just outside Kyiv and spoke to some of the people there

who described to me and pointed to me on the road聽

Where they had picked up the bodies of their friends聽

their family members聽

who had been killed, many of them handcuffed

And had to transport them to find graves for them聽

It鈥檚 In shopping trollies, they told me, that is the only way they could move those bodies聽

And that had a profound effect on me as they dug those graves 鈥 mass graves 鈥 of people who had been shot and left on their own.

The alternative to Ukraine鈥檚 victory is聽unthinkable.

Not only an afront to our values鈥

A green light to aggressors everywhere.

And the fate of Ukraine is a cause that unites Britain.聽

And that is why we will deliver鈥

拢3 billion worth of support to Ukraine each year鈥 for as long as it takes.聽

We will speed up our delivery of military aid.聽

And together with our NATO allies鈥

We have聽pledged聽鈧40 billion of support to Ukraine every year鈥β

We鈥檝e established a new body to coordinate that support鈥β

Agreed to ramp up industrial production鈥β

And confirmed Ukraine鈥檚 irreversible path to full NATO membership.聽

As I told President Zelensky today鈥

NATO will be stronger with Ukraine as a member.聽

And because of the generational threat from Russia, that demands a generational response鈥 聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽

So we will increase NATO鈥檚 focus on future threats around the world鈥

With Britain playing its full role.聽聽

We will continue to put our armed forces at NATO鈥檚 disposal鈥

Maintain our presence in Estonia and Poland鈥

Lead the land arm of the Allied Response Force this year鈥

And maintain and modernise our nuclear deterrent.聽

Today, this alliance is stronger than ever.聽聽

23 members are now spending 2% of their GDP on defence.聽

But in light of the grave threats to our security, we聽must聽go further.聽

So we will conduct a Strategic Defence Review鈥

To strengthen our armed forces鈥

And protect our national security.

And we will set out a clear path to spending 2.5% of our GDP on defence.聽

And I say with candour to all our allies鈥β

We must understand that this is now essential.聽

This is a defensive alliance.

We do not seek conflict.聽

But we know that the best way to avoid it is to prepare for it鈥β

And to lead.

Britain belongs on the world stage鈥β

So I am determined鈥β

To reset our relationship with Europe鈥

Return to leadership on climate change鈥

And engage more deeply聽with the global south.

Because whether the challenges we face are military鈥

Or global challenges like climate change, cyber and energy security鈥

We will meet them head on.聽

Stand - shoulder-to-shoulder with our friends and allies.聽

Because history shows 鈥 we are stronger when we do.聽

This morning I laid a wreath鈥

At the Tomb of the Unknown Solider at Arlington Cemetery.

It was an incredibly moving moment, just being there, seeing the very, very many graves

And that wreath laying聽

To honour the sacrifice made by so many Americans鈥

Side by side with British troops鈥

In defence of our freedom.聽聽

It is a reminder of our unbreakable bond with the United States.

A bond which I reaffirmed here with President Biden.聽

And a reminder鈥

That we must honour the service and sacrifice of our veterans鈥

With the decisions that we take today.聽

So we meet this moment with a new resolve鈥

Determined to renew Britain鈥檚 place on the world stage鈥

Proud of what we have to offer鈥β

Confident, not just in the value of our strength鈥β

But in the strength of our values.

Britain was at the heart of creating NATO 75 years ago.聽

And our commitment remains unshakeable鈥β

The foundation of our security and prosperity for many years to come.聽聽

Thank you.

Updates to this page

Published 12 July 2024