FEATURED COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

Former Chief of Intell Service: UK Needs More Defense Spending to Deal with New Threats

New Atlanticist
May 27, 2025

British ambassador to the US: The UK must ‘become less dependent on America, while remaining inseparably linked’

By
Peter Mandelson

In speaking at the Atlantic Council’s 2025 Christopher J. Makins Lecture, Peter Mandelson outlined how the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe can foster peace through military, economic, and technological strength.

Conflict
Defense Industry

Former Chief of Intell Service: UK Needs More Defense Spending to Deal with New Threats

New Atlanticist
May 15, 2025

Can the EU-UK summit lead to a new post-Brexit partnership?

By
Ed Owen

With shared challenges at home and abroad, the United Kingdom and European Union have an opportunity to renew their trade and security ties.

Defense Industry
Economy & Business

Former Chief of Intell Service: UK Needs More Defense Spending to Deal with New Threats

New Atlanticist
Jan 27, 2025

The case for a US-UK trade and investment agreement

By
L. Daniel Mullaney

As US President Donald Trump begins his second term, the United Kingdom is the right partner for the United States, and now is the right time for a deal.

Economy & Business
Politics & Diplomacy

Featured Event

Public Event
Tue, May 27, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

The Rt Hon Lord Mandelson on Britain in an enduring transatlantic relationship

British Ambassador to the United States The Rt Hon Lord Mandelson speaks at the 2025 Christopher J. Makins lecture to discuss the significance of the transatlantic relationship during this unprecedented geopolitical period.

Economy & Business
Europe & Eurasia
Politics & Diplomacy
Security & Defense


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Content

Former head of UK Secret Intelligence Service John Sawers, April 13, 2009

NATOSource

Mar 3, 2015

Former Chief of Intell Service: UK Needs More Defense Spending to Deal with New Threats

By BBC

Sir John Sawers, who recently retired after five years as chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that Russia poses a “state to state threat.”

Intelligence Russia
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, UK PM David Cameron, & President Barack Obama, June 25, 2009

NATOSource

Feb 27, 2015

NATO Defense Spending Promises Largely Ignored

By Sam Jones, Financial Times

Only two of Nato’s six biggest defence spenders — the US and France — will fulfil a pledge to protect military budgets made at the alliance’s summit five months ago.

France Germany
Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama, Sept. 4, 2014

NATOSource

Feb 26, 2015

Report: Six European Members of NATO Will Cut Defense Spending and Break Agreement Made at Wales Summit

By Denitsa Raynova & Ian Kearns, ELN

Preliminary reports from fourteen countries examined for fiscal year 2015 suggest that only one (Estonia) will spend 2% of GDP on defence.

Germany Hungary
British Defense Minister Michael Fallon, Aug. 16, 2014

NATOSource

Feb 19, 2015

Putin Will Target Baltic Republics Next, UK Defense Minister Warns

By Ben Farmer, Telegraph

There is a “real and present danger” that Vladimir Putin will launch a campaign of undercover attacks to destabilise the Baltic states on Nato’s eastern flank, the Defence Secretary has warned.

NATO Northern Europe
Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and British Prime Minister David Cameron, Sept. 4, 2014

NATOSource

Feb 17, 2015

David Cameron Will Encourage Britain’s Enemies If He Cuts Defense Spending, Warn Former NATO Chiefs

By Ben Riley-Smith, Telegraph

David Cameron will embolden Vladimir Putin and Islamic terrorists if he reneges on a commitment to spend two per cent of GDP on defence, two former Nato heads have warned.

NATO Russia
Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama, Jan. 16, 2015

NATOSource

Feb 11, 2015

Obama to Cameron: Maintain UK Defense Spending or Weaken NATO

By Ben Farmer, Telegraph

Barack Obama has told David Cameron that Britain must stick to its Nato spending target, or set a damaging example to its European allies.

NATO Security & Defense
UK Defense Minister Michael Fallon, Oct. 30, 2014

NATOSource

Feb 6, 2015

UK Concerned Over ‘Threatening’ Russian Nuclear Strategy

By Adrian Croft, Reuters

Britain’s defence minister voiced concern on Friday that Russia may have “lowered the threshold” for using nuclear weapons and said Britain must update its own deterrent in response to Russian modernisation of its nuclear forces.

Nuclear Nonproliferation Russia
Spanish paratroopers in Afghanistan, Sept. 27, 2008

NATOSource

Feb 5, 2015

Spain to Lead New NATO Spearhead Force in 2016

By Naftali Bendavid, Wall Street Journal

Six European countries said Thursday they would rotate the leadership of NATO’s new rapid-response force, and the U.S. pledged to contribute intelligence, airlift capacity and other key support.

NATO Security & Defense
Royal Marines training in Norway, Feb. 17, 2014

NATOSource

Feb 5, 2015

Defense Minister Fallon: Britain to Lead ‘High Readiness’ NATO Force

By BBC and Reuters

From BBC:  The UK will play a lead role in a “high readiness” Nato force that will be established in Eastern Europe, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has announced.

NATO Security & Defense
British figher jet intercepts Russian Tu-95 Bear bomber, Sept. 16, 2014

NATOSource

Jan 29, 2015

British Fighter Jets Scrambled to Intercept Russian Bombers

By Kyle MacLellan, Reuters

British Typhoon fighter jets were scrambled to intercept two Russian Bear long-range bombers which had flown close to UK airspace, Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on Thursday.

Russia United Kingdom
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Andrea Rigoni

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Cybersecurity Digital Policy

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Tobias Ellwood

Distinguished Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative

Politics & Diplomacy Security & Defense

Fellow

Richard Hurowitz

Nonresident senior fellow

Europe Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Ed Owen

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Lisa Aronsson

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia NATO

Staff

James Batchik

Associate Director

Europe Center

Central Europe Digital Policy
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