(EPA)
Twelve NATO Allies Act on £37bn Missile Investment
Twelve NATO members—including the UK—have announced a joint investment of more than £37 billion (≈$50 bn) across a decade for a new long‑range missile system called the Deep Precision Strike, aimed at enhancing collective deterrence against potential adversaries.
The programme, unveiled in Ankara, is scheduled for discussion at Wednesday’s NATO summit. It promises target striking distances of nearly 200 miles (300 km) with pinpoint accuracy and potentially up to 1,250 miles (2,010 km) for deep‑strike capabilities.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, attending his final NATO summit, emphasised that the missile initiative would “help bring European allies together to keep NATO safe for years to come.” He noted that the UK’s Defence Investment Plan already commits £300 billion by 2030.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper described the plan as “part of a recognition that we’re in a more dangerous world,” insisting that a stronger European NATO was imperative.
Although the Deep Precision Strike is expected to reach operational readiness only in the 2030s, the announcement signals NATO’s resolve amid grim rises in Russian military activity around UK waters.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has called for a review of U.S. forces in Europe, while President Trump remains critical of NATO members’ defense budgets, demanding that they meet the 5 % of GDP target by 2035.
Prime Minister Starmer’s remarks also addressed the Russian threat, urging NATO to be prepared to defend every ally and signalling a deterrence posture to President Vladimir Putin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged NATO allies at the summit to deliver urgently needed air‑defence systems, citing Ukrainian long‑range strikes that have crippleled Russian logistics.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that new NATO weapons would not halt Russian operations in Ukraine until objectives were reached, calling for a diplomatic settlement to the conflict.
