UK faces ‘£28bn defence funding shortfall’, top military chief warns Starmer

The news of a reported shortfall comes as the UK this week pledged to put troops on the ground in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire

The Ministry of Defence is facing a £28 billion shortfall in funding for the next four years, according to reports, just days after Sir Keir Starmer committed to sending British troops to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal.

The UK’s top military chief, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, is said to have told the Prime Minister that an MoD assessment showed a £28 billion shortfall between now and 2030, The Times reports.

Sir Richard showed the PM the assessment at a meeting before Christmas also attended by Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Defence Secretary John Heeley, according to the newspaper.

The news could influence the defence investment plan (Dip), which has been delayed. It was initially expected in the autumn and will set out how the strategic defence review will be delivered.

Sir Richard Knighton speaking at a Royal United Services Institute event (PA Wire)

Last year, Sir Keir vowed to make Britain “battle ready” but his defence plans have been overshadowed by a row over money, despite warnings over the threat of an increasingly bellicose Russia.

A Government source said the UK is “on track” to fulfil the commitments outlined in the review.

Sir Richard took over as Chief of the Defence Staff in September and is responsible for the delivery of the strategic defence review published in June, as the UK has pledged to boost defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027.

The review also set out a goal to raise spending to three per cent in the next Parliament “when fiscal and economic conditions allow”.

Britain and France this week signed a historic agreement committing to putting boots on the ground in Ukraine as soon as any ceasefire with Russia comes into effect.

The document, signed at a summit in Paris by French president Emmanuel Macron, Sir Keir and Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky, was hailed as “a significant step forward” in ensuring Kyiv has security guarantees that would deter a future Russian invasion.

French president Emmanuel Macron, Sir Keir and Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky (Tom Nicholson/PA Wire)

UK bases and military personnel also supported a US operation to seize an oil tanker in the Atlantic on Wednesday. The vessel was said to be part of a “shadow fleet” seeking to evade sanctions on Iranian oil.

Sir Keir spoke to US President Donald Trump for the second time in as many days on Thursday as the two discussed the threat that an “increasingly aggressive” Russia poses in the “High North”.

An MOD spokesperson told The Independent: "The UK defence budget is rising to record levels as this government delivers the biggest boost to defence spending since the Cold War, totalling £270bn this parliament alone.

“Demands on defence are rising, with growing Russian aggression, increasing operational requirements and preparations for a Ukraine deployment.

“We are working flat out on the Defence Investment Plan, which will fix the outdated, overcommitted, and underfunded defence programme we inherited.”