Robert Shrimsley

Britain’s European Defence Role Depends on Spending, Readiness and Alliance Cohesion

The Financial Times’ Robert Shrimsley and defence correspondent Charles Clover argue that Britain can help organize a faster northern European response to Russian threats through the Joint Expeditionary Force, but that the grouping must strengthen rather than fragment NATO. They see a broader case for Europe to prepare for less dependable US support, while warning that Britain’s ambitions are constrained by tight public finances and difficult choices about what its armed forces can afford.