Britain faces its “greatest risk” of war in decades as Russia continues to test NATO defences, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has warned, as the government prepares to make the case for a sustained increase in military spending.

Streeting described Russia and Vladimir Putin as the “biggest threat” facing Britain, arguing that the war in Ukraine and Moscow’s broader military posture had fundamentally altered the security environment facing the UK.

“Without a shadow of a doubt, the biggest threat facing Britain is Russia and President Putin,” said Streeting.

“We’ve got war in our continent. We’ve got a Russian president who has imperialist ambitions, who is constantly testing Britain’s defences, NATO defences and testing the strength of our alliances.

“And so, the sobering reality is that we face a greater risk of war than we’ve done at any point in my lifetime.”

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