George Robertson, former NATO secretary general, said government leaders in NATO countries have to convince their constituents that defense spending must increase to 5 percent of the gross domestic product by 2032, as alliance members have pledged recently.
He told Politico on Tuesday that such an increase will be difficult for some NATO members, including the United Kingdom.
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Politico noted that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who joined the NATO defense spending pledge, has been criticized for not providing full details on implementing the increase and how defense priorities will cut other government budget allocations.
Robertson noted that the British public is unaware that the U.K. lacks a comprehensive air and missile defense system. At the same time, he stressed that London needs to boost military spending, as the country is currently underprepared and not effectively safe.
Robertson also supported calls to address U.S. dominance in NATO, which has created an imbalance within the alliance. He pointed out that this condition, magnifying American influence and spending, has prevailed for so long among all parties.