UK chief of defence staff calls on government to spend more on military
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Treasury minister Darren Jones says defence spending should rise to 2.5% of GDP, but avoids saying by when.

Summary

U.K. defense chief Admiral Sir Tony Radakin reported that Russia suffered its highest casualty rate since the start of the Ukraine war, with 1,500 Russian soldiers killed or wounded daily in October, totaling around 700,000 casualties since February 2022.

Radakin noted that these losses are for minor territorial gains, and emphasized the heavy strain of Russia’s defense spending.

While allies of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump suggest Ukraine may need to cede territory to achieve peace, Radakin affirmed Western support for Ukraine “as long as it takes.” Trump, who aims to end U.S. support for Ukraine, has not outlined a specific peace strategy.