READ MORE: Fox News issues breaking alert in major blow to Trump
He said the world was coming apart at the seams, adding: “It’s turbulent. It’s rough. It’s lawless. It’s in a state of disorder.”
The major general said the West urgently needed to work on shoring up its foundations, including inside the NATO military alliance. Germany’s foundations – being part of the European Union, a NATO member, its economic might and social cohesion – were also under pressure, the army chief suggested.
Ensure our latest news headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings.
The Prime Minister has committed to increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP next year and to 3% after the next election. In their letter, published in the Daily Telegraph, the defence leaders urge him to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP.
The Government has yet to publish its delayed defence investment plan (Dip) setting out how it will meet its commitments.
Sir Keir’s spokesman insisted on Monday that the Ministry of Defence was working “flat out” to deliver the plan “as soon as possible”.
Signatories to the letter include former defence secretaries Sir Ben Wallace, Sir Grant Shapps and Sir Michael Fallon, as well as General Lord Dannatt, the former Chief of the General Staff, and Admiral Lord West, the former First Sea Lord.
Meanwhile, the latest US-brokered talks between envoys from Moscow and Kyiv over Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine ended on Wednesday with no sign of a breakthrough. Both sides said the talks were “difficult”.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking after the talks broke up, said: “The negotiations were not easy.”
Earlier he accused Russia of “trying to drag out negotiations” while pressing on with its invasion — an accusation he and European leaders have made repeatedly.
He said some progress was made on military issues although political differences remained deep.
Russia’s Vladimir Medinsky told reporters the two days of talks in Geneva “were difficult but business-like”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters it was “too early” to speak about the outcome of the talks. He said Putin had been receiving reports about progress in Geneva.
Both sides said a new round of talks is set to take place.
