UK Turns Down EU’s Demand to Join Defense Fund
According to media, the European Commission had asked London to pay between €4 billion and €6.5 billion ($4.3–7 billion) to join the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative. The UK, along with Canada, entered talks over potential participation in September.
The SAFE program forms part of a broader €150 billion defense fund aimed at developing drones, missile systems, cyber-defense capabilities, and a pan-European air shield. It is one element of the EU’s wider €800 billion military spending package approved earlier this year.
A senior British official described the requested sum as far higher than London had anticipated and confirmed that the government had rejected the proposal, media reported on Tuesday. However, negotiations to reduce the contribution reportedly continue ahead of a November 30 deadline for funding commitments.
Britain has already poured billions into military aid for Ukraine since the escalation of its conflict with Russia in 2022, even as it faces sluggish economic growth and mounting public debt.
Over the past three years, Western leaders have warned that Russia could pose a potential threat to EU nations, triggering a surge in defense spending across the bloc. European NATO members, under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, agreed to increase military expenditures to as much as 5% of GDP by 2035. Trump has repeatedly urged allies to “pay their share” within the U.S.-led alliance.
Moscow has consistently denied any aggressive intent toward Western countries, framing Europe’s defense buildup as evidence of Western militarization. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said last month that Western nations are openly preparing a “new big European war” against Russia and its key ally Belarus.
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