(Bloomberg) -- The US and Europe face a breakdown in transatlantic security if they stop supporting Ukraine’s war against Russia, the head of Britain’s foreign intelligence agency warned in his first public remarks since Donald Trump’s election win.
“The cost of supporting Ukraine is well known, but the cost of not doing so would be infinitely higher,” Richard Moore, the head of MI6, said in Paris on Friday, warning against allowing Russian President Vladimir Putin to get his way.
“If Putin is allowed to succeed in reducing Ukraine to a vassal state, he will not stop there,” Moore said in a speech. “Our security — British, French, European and transatlantic — will be jeopardized.”
Moore’s remarks will likely be seen as part of efforts by the UK and other European governments to convince the incoming Trump administration to maintain western backing for Kyiv in the face of Russian’s invasion. The president-elect has said he’ll end the war immediately on taking office in January, leading to speculation that the US might cut back support to force a settlement.
“For decades the US-UK intelligence alliance has made our societies safer,” Moore said. “I worked successfully with the first Trump administration to advance our shared security and look forward to doing so again.”
“If Putin succeeds, China would weigh the implications, North Korea would be emboldened and Iran would become still more dangerous,” he added.
NATO Spending
The spy chief was speaking at an event in the French capital to mark the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale, an agreement that forged Anglo-French relations. His intervention will be seen as a display of unity between European allies as they await details on Trump’s foreign policy toward Ukraine and NATO.
Moore directly addressed defense spending by NATO countries, a long-term concern of Trump. “We know that we all need to do more,” he said. “That’s why the British government has committed to spending 2.5% of GDP on defense.”
However, he said Europe and North America already “have many times Russia’s GDP and defense budget,” adding: “We should never doubt that our alliance has strength in numbers, both economic and military, and our unity of purpose makes that count.”
Dangerous World
Moore gave a stark assessment of the various challenges to western security, from China, Iran, Islamist terrorism and the conflict in the Middle East.
“In 37 years in the intelligence profession, I have never seen the world in a more dangerous state,” he said.
“We have yet to have a full reckoning with the radicalizing impact of the fighting and terrible loss of innocent life in the Middle East after the horrors of Oct. 7,” he added.
©2024 Bloomberg L.P.