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UK to ramp up defense budget by $6 bln in next two years — PM’s office

Of this money, $3.6 billion will be spent on the defense nuclear enterprise, while the remaining funds will "replenish and bolster our munitions stockpiles to replace items donated to Ukraine," the statement reads

© AP Photo/ Alberto Pezzali

LONDON, March 13. /TASS/. The British government will boost its defense spending by 5 billion pounds ($6 billion) during the next two years in light of the conflict in Ukraine, the office of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement on Sunday.

According to the statement, the investment in defense will be announced in the 2023 Integrated Review Refresh to be available to read on Monday. Of this money, 3 billion pounds ($3.6 billion) will be spent on the defense nuclear enterprise, while the remaining funds will "replenish and bolster our munitions stockpiles to replace items donated to Ukraine," the statement reads.

Sunak will set out an ambition to ramp up his country’s defense spending to 2.5% of GDP in the longer term from a little over 2% now, the UK prime minister’s office said. At present, the Ministry of Defense budget amounts to 48.6 billion pounds ($58.4 billion).

General Sir Patrick Sanders, the Chief of the General Staff, warned he may quit unless the kingdom’s Ministry of Defense succeeds in increasing defense spending amid growing security threats, British newspapers reported earlier.

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Ukraine United Kingdom Rishi Sunak

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