US Threatens Falklands Stance to Pressure UK on Defense Spending: The Telegraph

By Staff, Agencies

The United States is reportedly considering revisiting its position on Britain's control of the Falkland Islands to pressure London into substantially increasing defense spending, The Daily Telegraph reported on Friday, citing sources.

The reported pressure comes amid growing disagreements between the two allies over defense spending, the war on Iran, and the strategically important Chagos Islands.

The UK and Argentina have disputed sovereignty over the Falklands for nearly 200 years, with tensions culminating in Argentina's 1982 invasion. Britain retook the islands after 74 days of fighting.

Washington supported London during the conflict but has since maintained that it takes no position on the competing sovereignty claims while recognizing Britain's de facto administration.

According to The Telegraph, Washington could reconsider its support for Britain's sovereignty claim if London fails to significantly increase defense spending.

Britain is expected to receive "special attention" in a Pentagon review assessing whether NATO members have credible plans to meet the alliance's new spending target.

A senior US official told the newspaper that "nothing is being ruled out" as Washington seeks to persuade allies to shoulder more of Europe's defense burden. The official said Britain's new defense investment plan was a "step in the right direction" but insufficient given the scale of current challenges.

Most NATO members have agreed to raise security spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, while Britain aims to reach 3% by 2030.

However, its defense investment plan unveiled in June would leave core defense spending at 2.7% of GDP through 2029-30, while the government is also seeking to address a £4.7 billion ($6.3 billion) budget gap.

The idea of using the Falklands issue as leverage first emerged in April, when Reuters reported that the Pentagon was considering reviewing US diplomatic support for European "imperial possessions" as a way to pressure NATO governments deemed insufficiently supportive of Washington's military campaign against Iran.