Sir Keir Starmer insisted the UK would honour the Nato commitment to defend its allies if called upon as he sent a message to Donald Trump at the Munich Security Conference.
President Donald Trump has questioned whether the US’s European partners would answer an article five call if it were made today.
The prime minister sought to dispel this doubt, saying: “To all Nato members, our commitment to article five is as profound now as ever, and be in no doubt, if called on, the UK would come to your aid today.”
Sir Keir said Britain is “not the Britain of the Brexit years anymore” and told the hall Europe must be ready to fight as it faces a growing threat from Russia.
It came after US secretary of state Marco Rubio told the conference that the US has “no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers of the West’s managed decline.”
Rubio told European leaders that America wants to “revitalise an old friendship and renew the greatest civilisation in human history”, as he called for strength from them.
