Keir Starmer urges Europe to boost defence spending and strengthen NATO cooperation during Munich Security Conference in Germany

When Keir Starmer stepped up to speak at the Munich Security Conference on 14 February 2026, the tone was unmistakably serious.

This wasn’t diplomatic small talk or vague talk of cooperation. It was a blunt message: the era of comfortable assumptions about European peace is over.

For decades, many people in the United Kingdom experienced war as something tragic but distant.

Starmer acknowledged that. But he also argued that the ground beneath Europe is shifting.

Peace, he suggested, no longer feels solid. It feels fragile.

Russia’s War and Europe’s Uneasy Reality

At the heart of his speech was Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched by Vladimir Putin in 2022.

Starmer described Moscow’s aggression as proof of an appetite for expansionism that goes far beyond Ukraine’s borders.

He pointed to more than just tanks and missiles.

According to him, Russia’s campaign also includes disinformation, cyber-attacks, and attempts to undermine democratic systems across Europe.

Even as Russian forces have suffered enormous casualties in Ukraine, Moscow is rebuilding its military machine and ramping up production.

Starmer referenced warnings from NATO that Russia could be capable of challenging the Alliance militarily before the decade ends.

And if a peace deal eventually emerges in Ukraine, he cautioned, Russia’s rearmament might accelerate rather than slow down.

The message was clear: Europe cannot afford complacency.

Hard Power Is Back in Fashion

Starmer broke from the usual rhetorical framing of “crossroads moments.”

In his words, the path forward is obvious. Europe must strengthen its hard power.

That means spending more on defence.

It means being capable not just of deterring aggression but, if absolutely necessary, fighting back.

He insisted the goal is not war, but credible deterrence. In today’s world, he argued, military strength is the currency that preserves peace.

This echoes a wider trend across Europe.

Since 2022, many NATO members have increased defence budgets.

Germany’s €100 billion special fund for the Bundeswehr marked a dramatic shift in Berlin’s policy.

Starmer wants that momentum to deepen—and to be coordinated.

A Europe That Pulls Its Weight

Starmer made a strong case for a more “European” NATO.

He did not call for replacing the United States.

In fact, he praised Washington’s eight decades of commitment to European security.

But he acknowledged what recent US strategic documents have made clear: Europe must shoulder more responsibility.

Rather than rupture the transatlantic alliance, he argued for renewal.

Less dependency. More interdependence.

He pointed out Europe’s inefficiencies: more than 20 types of frigates, around 10 types of fighter jets, and over 10 types of main battle tanks across the continent—compared to a far more streamlined US system.

Fragmentation, he said, weakens collective security.

The implication? Europe has the economic weight—it collectively dwarfs Russia’s economy—but it lacks integration.

Britain’s Place in a Post-Brexit Europe

One of the most striking lines of the speech was political as much as strategic.

Starmer declared that Britain is “not the Britain of the Brexit years anymore.”

Without reopening the Brexit debate directly, he signalled a willingness to pursue closer cooperation with the European Union, especially in defence and industry.

He floated the idea of deeper economic alignment in certain sectors if it enhances security and growth.

British defence firms already account for a significant portion of Europe’s defence industrial base, employing nearly a quarter of a million people across the UK.

Starmer wants that footprint expanded through joint procurement, shared research in AI and defence tech, and participation in European financing mechanisms—including major loan packages supporting Ukraine.

It’s a subtle but meaningful repositioning of the UK as a central European security actor, not a detached bystander.

New Military Commitments

The speech wasn’t just theory. Starmer outlined tangible steps.

The UK will deploy its Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Prince of Wales, to the North Atlantic and High North this year alongside US and Canadian forces.

British commandos are doubling their Arctic deployments.

The UK is working with Norway on a major warship programme aimed at countering Russian submarine threats and protecting undersea infrastructure—an issue that gained urgency after suspected sabotage incidents in the Baltic Sea.

He also highlighted enhanced nuclear cooperation with France.

While the UK has long committed its nuclear deterrent to NATO’s collective defence, closer coordination with Paris sends a message of combined European strength.

Standing Firm Against Extremes

Starmer didn’t shy away from domestic politics.

He warned that political extremes—both left and right—often share scepticism toward NATO and softness toward Russia.

Drawing a historical parallel to the 1930s, he argued that leaders must level with the public about the scale of change required.

Defence spending increases will mean trade-offs. Closer EU alignment may provoke political debate.

But, in his view, failing to act would invite far greater costs.

The alternative, he suggested starkly, would be division and eventual capitulation.

What’s Next?

If Starmer follows through, the coming months could bring:

• Accelerated UK defence spending and procurement reform

• Formal steps toward deeper UK–EU defence industrial cooperation

• Greater British participation in European financing tools for Ukraine

• Expanded Arctic and North Atlantic military deployments

• Concrete proposals for integrated European procurement frameworks

Much will depend on political consensus at home and coordination with key partners like Germany, France, Poland, and the United States.

But the direction is unmistakable: a Britain that sees its future security tied tightly to Europe’s.

Summary

On 14 February 2026 at the Munich Security Conference, Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered a forceful speech warning that Europe can no longer rely on outdated assumptions about peace.

Citing Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and broader destabilising tactics, he called for increased defence spending, stronger European military integration, and a renewed but rebalanced partnership with the United States through NATO.

He announced concrete UK commitments, including deploying a Carrier Strike Group to the North Atlantic and enhancing nuclear cooperation with France.

Significantly, he signalled openness to deeper UK–EU economic and defence alignment, marking a shift in post-Brexit positioning.

His core message was simple but urgent: Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security—and Britain intends to lead from the front.