Starmer heads for a kicking from Trump at his final NATO summit

Starmer’s final NATO summit appearance in Turkey is set to draw fresh pressure tied to Donald Trump’s push for higher defence spending. Keir Starmer is due to attend ahead of handing over to Andy Burnham in under two weeks, with criticism expected over Labour’s defence investment plan. After months of Whitehall wrangling and the resignation of Defence Secretary John Healey, a proposed £15 billion extra over five years was described as largely unfunded, with no timetable for reaching 3% of GDP. Trump is pushing NATO members to target 3.5% by 2035, while the UK has only committed to an “ambition” of 3% in the 2030s. NATO chief Mark Rutte said member states must produce “clear, concrete and credible” plans. Downing Street says Trump and Starmer will sit next to each other at a meeting, but they are not expected to meet one-on-one.