Under the slogan “welfare not warfare”, protesters have come out in force in London, objecting to the British government’s plans to increase military spending while cutting back on social support.

Like its European allies in NATO, the United Kingdom is under pressure from the United States to take responsibility for its own security in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

But the European public – most of whom are facing a cost-of-living crisis – may well object as much as the British.

So can NATO allies build a defence force strong enough to counter any threats from Russia without US support?

And how will European leaders address possible public discontent?

Presenter: Elizabeth Puranam

Guests:

Paul Beaver – defence analyst

Aaron Gasch Burnett – senior fellow at the Democratic Strategy Initiative, a political think tank

Jeremy Corbyn – independent member of the UK Parliament