British Defence Secretary views Russia and Putin as the biggest threat to national security
British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting described Russia and President Vladimir Putin as the biggest threat to the country's security, while also warning that the United Kingdom faces the "greatest risk of war" in its lifetime.
Streeting stated that this threat underpinned the decision to adopt the largest sustained increase in defense spending since the end of the Cold War, PA Media and dpa report.
In a statement given to The Sun on Sunday ahead of the Labour Party conference—which begins on Sunday in Liverpool—he asserted that "without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest threat to Great Britain is Russia and President Putin."
"We have a war on our continent. We have a Russian president with imperialist ambitions who is constantly testing the defense capabilities of Great Britain and NATO, as well as the strength of our alliances. Therefore, the sobering reality is that we face a greater risk of war than at any time in my lifetime," Streeting warned.
He expressed confidence that the country possesses the necessary resources to maintain its security, though this would no longer hold true if defense systems were to "stagnate" for five years.
"Strength creates deterrence, and that significantly reduces the likelihood of ending up in a situation we do not want: being at war with Russia or, for that matter, with anyone else," he stated.
