Significant pressure is being placed on the leadership of the British armed forces to secure savings of £3.5 billion, at a time when Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government says it is preparing the British military for war.

According to Sky News, the heads of the Army, Navy and Air Force of the United Kingdom are expected to meet within the week to examine ways to cut costs, as the current budget is not sufficient even to implement already agreed defense procurement programs.

Sources who spoke to the British network say the lack of resources stems from the fact that the Ministry of Defence is required to operate strictly within the fiscal limits set by the Treasury, while the long-awaited ten-year Defence Investment Plan has not yet been approved.

The delay in announcing the plan, which had been expected since last autumn, is increasing uncertainty and maintaining pressure on military and government officials to seek further cuts.

At the same time, George Robertson, former Defence Secretary and head of the recent Strategic Defence Review, is expected to sharply criticize the government. In a speech, he will speak of “corrosive indifference,” arguing that the armed forces remain insufficiently prepared for modern threats.

At the same time, he directs criticism at Chancellor Rachel Reeves, accusing the economic team of lacking interest in defense and of choices that, he argues, undermine the strengthening of military capabilities.

For its part, the British Ministry of Defence, according to Sky News, defends the government’s policy, stressing that defense spending is rising to historically high levels, reaching a total of £270 billion for the current parliamentary period. As it notes, increasing international challenges—from Russian aggression to the crisis in the Middle East—make further strengthening of the armed forces and their capabilities necessary.