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].

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.