The UK Minister of Defense has been questioned by parliamentarians ahead of the NATO summit in July this year on the future of Britain's relationship with the Alliance.
The UK Defence Committee has heard on May 22 from the British Defense Minister Gavin Williamson. Commenting on UK's leadership role in NATO in the light of Britain leaving the European Union, Williamson told the committee:
“As we exit the European Union, I think it makes NATO even more important than it has been in the past. It is a connection of not just European nations but also North Atlantic nations. As a forum to build relationships, the significance is growing in terms of this organization, with our exit from the European Union.”
Williamson added that the UK can and should do more to be an influential member of NATO.
The two core things Britain would like to achieve is for NATO to have the right command structures and resources and for the members' to be spending the required minimum on defense, Williamson said. It will send a message to the potential aggressors that look to NATO countries, he added.
According to the Defense Expenditures of NATO Countries (2009-2016) report, only Poland, Estonia, the UK, Greece and the US have met the 2% target, with the rest of nations lagging behind.
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