NATO and Europe first: Britain’s new Strategic Defence Review

0 Ratings
0
Episode
573 of 574
Duration
17min
Language
English
Format
Category
Non-fiction

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Malcolm Chalmers, deputy director general at the Royal United Services Institute and former Labour government advisor, for an Emergency Room episode dissecting the UK’s newly unveiled Strategic Defence Review (SDR). Prime minister Keir Starmer has committed to increasing defence spending to 3% GDP by 2030, expanding the UK’s military capabilities with 12 attack submarines, boosting munitions production, and possibly reviving an air-launched nuclear capability.

Together Mark and Malcolm discuss how—amid Russia’s war in Ukraine and America’s talk of reducing its European presence—the SDR focuses on leveraging AI and uncrewed systems, as well as a “NATO first, Europe first” approach. They also consider how to balance transatlantic relations with closer EU defence cooperation. Can Britain drive a technological and geopolitical shift? Or will fiscal and industrial constraints limit its ambitions?

The podcast was recorded on June 2nd, 2025.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Listen and read

Step into an infinite world of stories

  • Read and listen as much as you want
  • Over 1 million titles
  • Exclusive titles + Storytel Originals
  • 14 days free trial, then €9.99/month
  • Easy to cancel anytime
Try for free
Details page - Device banner - 894x1036

Other podcasts you might like ...