The US will force the UK into boosting defence spending up to 3.5% of GDP as US President Donald Trump pressures Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and other NATO allies into bolstering their military power, according to reports. Defence sources believe that Sir Keir will be forced to sign an agreement targeting the figure by 2035 at the upcoming Nato summit.

That's despite the PM refusing to put a time scale on when budgets would rise to even to 3% as the government unveiled its strategic defense review, referred to by commentators as the SDR, only on Monday. Sir Keir agreed to boost defence spending from the 2.33% of GDP being spent currently to 2.5% by 2027. The SDR also set the goal of reaching 3% in the next parliament, but without a firm date.

It comes amid a push by Nato secretary general Mark Rutte to retain Trump's support for the alliance by heeding the President's calls for other Nato powers to dramatically increase their military spending.

Rutte proposes that allies commit to spending 3.5% on hard defence as well as 1.5% on cyber, intelligence and military-related infrastructure at a two day Nato summit being hosted at The Hague, and starting on June 24th.

That would see total broader defence spending rising to 5% amid the growing threat of Putin's Russia.

Trump is expected to attend the gathering, marking the first Nato summit of his second term as President.

One senior insider since told Sky News that the UK would “without a doubt” sign up to a proposal from Rutte to go well beyond the government's current goal.