German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is expected to pursue clear assurances on Rishi Sunak's defence spending "if Britain wants a leading role in European security".
As the Prime Minister embarks on a trip to Poland today before traveling to Berlin on Wednesday, one German senior official warns that Sunak will likely face calls for more defence spending.
It comes as Berlin is set to meet its Nato target to spend two per cent of GDP on defence - with German weapons commitments to the Ukraine-Russian war now almost twice the size of Britain’s.
Sunak has declared his aspiration to up UK defence spending to 2.5 percent of GDP but his lack of plans for the increase has frustrated British allies.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is expected to pursue clear assurances on Rishi Sunak's defence spending 'if Britain wants a leading role in European security'GettyThe senior official in the German government said "there does not seem to be any plan to increase [UK] defence spending at all."
"It has stayed the same for some time," they told Politico.
"We understand about the fiscal constraints the UK has, but we all have the same fiscal constraints. If the UK still wants to have a leading part in European security then it needs to increase its spending.
"The chancellor [Scholz] has said this publicly in the past, referring to ‘our partners’. I am sure this will be his message to Sunak."
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Sunak is set to pledge a record package of military aid for Ukraine when he travels to Warsaw and Berlin to meet the leaders of Poland, Germany and Nato.
The Prime Minister will announce £500million in extra military funding and the UK’s largest-ever donation of key equipment.
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chair of the Bundestag's defence committee insisted there was space for Britain to "significantly" increase spending.
She said: "The visit of the British prime minister could hardly come at a better time. If Europe wants to be resilient on its own, the advance of Russia must also be stopped by Europe together with our partners. We need the British on board for this and with significantly more commitment."
Sunak is set to pledge a record package of military aid for Ukraine when he travels to Warsaw and Berlin to meet the leaders of Poland, Germany and Nato
PAAnother senior German chief suggested there will not be any "lectures" from Scholz.
They added: "Germany appreciates the strong British support to Ukraine. We value all their contributions."
Sunak said: "Defending Ukraine against Russia’s brutal ambitions is vital for our security and for all of Europe. If Putin is allowed to succeed in this war of aggression, he will not stop at the Polish border."
The increase takes UK military funding for Kyiv to £3billion in 2024/25, and to £7.6bn since the start of Putin’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
