Defence Secretary Wes Streeting speech at Atlantic Future Forum

Official Statements

• British Government, November 12: “Thank you very much Mark for that generous introduction and actually can I just say through you an enormous thank you to the entire team for the work that’s gone into producing what I think I’ve heard reflected in conversations in the last day has been one of if not the best AFF that we’ve had and that’s thanks to the thought and the diligence that goes into the programme so on behalf of all of us who participated thank you to you and your team at AFF for putting on this wonderful event including the wonderful crew of the Prince of Wales who’ve gone from operation and deployment to floating conference venue in such a short space of time.”

• British Government, November 12: “It really is truly impressive. It’s also a real privilege for me as the Defence Secretary to be on board our flagship carrier during her deployment on Operation Firecrest. Firecrest is a statement of NATO’s intent in the High North. To maintain operational readiness. Strengthen cooperation. Demonstrate collective deterrence. And defend this critically important region. I am also delighted to share the stage this afternoon with my friend, Defence Minister Sandvik. When it comes to protecting our waters, the UK has no closer partner than Norway.”

• British Government, November 12: “Our relationship is stronger than ever - underwritten by the landmark Lunna House Agreement and our ambition to deepen our partnership even further. When it comes to British history, the sea has defined far more than our coastline. For centuries it has shaped and sustained our nation. Our prosperity and our global influence are derived from our dominance of the waves. And in our darkest hours, the sea has safeguarded our freedom and our security.”

• British Government, November 12: “But this is not simply a matter of history. Today, our thriving maritime sector supports 1.7 million jobs and 8,000 businesses. 95 per cent of our trade flows by sea. Energy comes via undersea pipelines. And financial transactions and internet data rely on underwater cables. As the First Sea Lord says the sea is home to the very arteries of modern life.”

• British Government, November 12: “In fact, despite our rich seafaring heritage, the sea has never mattered more to Britain’s future. There is no sugarcoating the fact that we live in a dangerous and volatile world. The gravest dangers of the 20th century have returned, armed with the technologies of the 21st. Our adversaries are doing everything they can to provoke us - from espionage to sabotage; intimidation to state-sponsored terrorism. They are testing us across every domain:”

• British Government, November 12: “Their jets and drones buzz our airspace. Their tanks and infantry are camped illegally in a sovereign European country. They threaten us in, and from, space. They hack our infrastructure and sow disinformation online. And, of course, they threaten us in the waters around our island. For a nation like the United Kingdom, it is a danger we neglect at our peril.”

• British Government, November 12: “The war in Ukraine has been a wake-up call for European security. Putin’s denial that he wants war with Europe would be more convincing had he not given the same assurances before the war he is waging in Europe now. Ukraine is the frontline for freedom and democracy everywhere. The history of our continent teaches us that when imperialist ambitions go unchallenged, leaders like Putin come back for more. Which is why we will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”

• British Government, November 12: “The British government supports Ukraine with the wholehearted backing of the British people because we stand with freedom and democracy. And whatever the ups and downs and trials and tribulations of British politics over the last decade, I’m immensely proud that I can stand here on this platform as a Labour Defence Secretary in a Labour government and assure you of our commitment with exactly the same force and unwavering determination that you would hear from a Conservative minister. Indeed, you heard from my Conservative predecessors.”

• British Government, November 12: “But it is also dawning on the British people that the threat from Russia isn’t confined to other side of our continent. If you live in Ukraine, you face the brutal reality of the Russian threat every single day. If you live in Estonia or Latvia, Lithuania or Finland, you feel its proximity intently at your border. But the UK too shares an open sea border with Russia - here in the High North.”

• British Government, November 12: “That puts the waters of the High North on the frontline of Britain’s security. High North security is homeland security. Russia is especially active in this region. Even as he wages war in Eastern Europe, Putin is rebuilding Russia’s presence in the High North. Establishing military bases. Introducing restrictions on navigation. Strengthening Russia’s Northern Fleet. This is highly strategic terrain. The causeway from Europe to North America. And the gateway to Britain’s backyard.”

• British Government, November 12: “That is why, undaunted by the increased threat, Britain is stepping up. The High North is now one of the busiest operational theatres for the Royal Navy. There were more than 50 ship visits to this region during 2025, with that presence sustained well into 2026. We have doubled our troop numbers in Norway to 2,000. The Royal Marines are conducting more and more exercises to hone their extreme cold weather warfighting skills. Earlier this year, one and a half thousand Commandos took part in Exercise Cold Response.”

• British Government, November 12: “Through both the Joint Expeditionary Force and NATO, British forces have joined operations and exercises alongside our allies to increase our readiness. We are procuring eight Type 26 anti-submarine warfare frigates to operate alongside five Norwegian counterparts. And we continue to monitor the increasing presence of Russian aircraft, naval vessels and its shadow fleet.”

• British Government, November 12: “Russian activity in the UK’s maritime area of responsibility is up 41% this year. And we are rising to meet this challenge. We exposed a covert GUGI submarine operation mapping undersea cables in the High North and North Atlantic.”

• British Government, November 12: “Our F-35B fighters intercepted a Russian reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft as it flew close to our Carrier Strike Group. We have sanctioned more than 500 shadow fleet vessels. And our interdiction of the Smyrtos in the English Channel in June has proven so disruptive that these ships are now having to find other routes.”

• British Government, November 12: “That means longer journeys and higher costs - damaging the funding of Putin’s war machine. Just this week, we launched the Royal Navy’s first autonomous squadron, giving our sailors the modern equipment they need to tackle evolving threats.”

• British Government, November 12: “This is all backed by the biggest increase in defence spending in the United Kingdom since the Cold War, with the promise of more to come. We will meet our NATO commitment to spend 3.5% of GDP on core defence by 2035 - and hit 3% in 2030 along the way. For the first time since its creation, we are recapitalising the entire nuclear enterprise. And we are growing the fleet with: Six common combat vessels. Four amphibious transport ships. Two new Astute-class boats.”

• British Government, November 12: “Four new Dreadnought-class submarines. And 12 next generation SSNs. Make no mistake, there is more to do. Rebuilding armed forces that were hollowed out over a long period of time cannot be done overnight. Even if it could, Ukraine shows how quickly warfare is changing - including in the maritime domain. Military power is no longer measured simply by who has the biggest, most expensive platforms. It is about who can innovate fastest, produce at scale, and turn relatively cheap technology into devastating military effect.”

• British Government, November 12: “That means rebuilding is not enough. We must constantly push the frontier of defence innovation and mobilise industry to match the demands of a more dangerous world. That is why we are undertaking one of the most radical and far-reaching reforms in naval history: the shift to a Hybrid Navy.”

• British Government, November 12: “Under the leadership of the First Sea Lord, we are combining the strength of world-class warships and submarines with autonomous systems, advanced sensors, integrated networks, data, and emerging technologies. This is making our fleet more capable, more adaptable, more resilient and more lethal. In short, a modern Navy capable of tackling modern threats.”

• British Government, November 12: “Talking our country and its capabilities down is becoming something of a national pastime in the UK. But Britain still has one of the most powerful navies in the world. And it is not just more warships and more submarines you need to deter Russian aggression. We are facing greater and more complex threats than ever. Our response is stepping up to match.”

• British Government, November 12: “Strengthening our armed forces is crucial to making us war-fighting ready by 2030. Not because war is inevitable but because the more ready we are to fight and win, the less likely war becomes. This is an insurance policy unlike any other. When you take out home insurance, it doesn’t make it less likely that your house will burn down. But when you invest in defence, you not only have the peace of mind that a conventional insurance policy provides, you make it the worse less likely to happen.”

• British Government, November 12: “We also need to strengthen our alliances. As Winston Churchill said in his typical style: ‘There is only one thing worse than fighting with allies, and that is fighting without them.’ No nation secured the Atlantic alone in the 1940s, and no nation can stand alone now. Britain’s security is padlocked to the security of our northern neighbours, who share our values and our interests. Through multilateral alliances and bilateral relationships, we are building a stronger, more integrated defence. The Northern Navies Initiative is the latest example.”

• British Government, November 12: “Our partnership with Norway, in particular, brings together capabilities, intelligence, and industrial innovation. And as part of the Lunna House Agreement, I am announcing today that the UK will procure three Offshore Support, or Standardised Vessels from Norway, with an option for three more.”

• British Government, November 12: “They will support the Royal Navy’s mine hunting efforts through autonomous and uncrewed systems - adding another new capability to our Hybrid Navy. Today’s announcement that Arondite is opening an Oslo office is a further sign that our defence cooperation is currently at unprecedented levels. We all know that the ability to invent the most sophisticated weapons means little if you cannot get them into the hands of the brave service personnel on the frontline.”

• British Government, November 12: “A prototype can demonstrate our ingenuity. But it is production at scale that turns innovation into military power. It is one thing to out-innovate our adversaries. We need to out-produce them too. That is the challenge facing the entire NATO alliance. Our Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, sees this as a responsibility, but also an opportunity. Because as the threat environment requires us to deliver record levels of defence spending, we through that investment the chance to:”

• British Government, November 12: “Reindustrialise Britain. Create good, well-paid jobs in every corner of the United Kingdom. And reawaken historic traditions in places across our country, from Glasgow to Portsmouth, where naval industry runs in the blood. At times of our greatest peril, the ability of Britain and our allies to dominate the seas has proven decisive. It has secured our freedom, our values, and our future. That moment confronts us again. The willingness of our adversaries to do us harm has not changed. But their capability has.”

• British Government, November 12: “Modern threats require a modern response. And the UK is stepping up to meet that challenge. Equipping our Navy with the tech and weapons it needs. Renewing our identity and our confidence as a cutting-edge maritime power. Britain’s past was defined by securing the seas. Our future depends on doing the same.”

• British Government, November 12: “And the power of the gathering we have here today on this extraordinary platform underpins the three things that all of us need to do in every nation across the NATO alliance and collectively to strengthen our capability, to strengthen our defence industrial base and to strengthen our alliances. That is how we deter and should deterrence fail, it is how we fight and win in pursuing freedom and democracy everywhere.”