Readout of PM call with NATO's Secretary General

“The Prime Minister spoke to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg this afternoon.

“He updated the Secretary General on the outcome of the Integrated Review. This includes the £24bn increase in the UK’s defence budget and our commitment to the wholescale modernisation of the Armed Forces.

“The Prime Minister emphasised the UK’s strong commitment to NATO as the guarantor of Euro-Atlantic Security and highlighted that the increased investment in defence brings the UK’s total spending to 2.2% of GDP – significantly above the NATO target.

“The Secretary General outlined his work on the ‘NATO 2030’ vision, a piece of work that was launched at the NATO meeting hosted by the UK in 2019. The leaders discussed the important role NATO must play in tackling climate change and countering the security threats caused by it.

“The Prime Minister and Secretary General discussed the importance of NATO going forward, particularly in Afghanistan where both leaders stressed the importance of supporting long-term and inclusive peace.”