The United Kingdom's national security is "safe for now and for the next few years," Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the outgoing head of the British armed forces, told BBC Radio 4 in an interview broadcast on Tuesday.
Sir Tony, who served as Chief of the Defence Staff from November 2021 until his retirement on Tuesday, said his optimism was rooted in Britain being a nuclear power and a member of NATO, which he described as "the biggest and strongest gun club ever." He singled out the United States as the UK's closest ally.
Speaking on Political Thinking with Nick Robinson, Sir Tony also pointed to a growing Western coalition discussing the shape of security in Europe after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He said the group of "coalition of the willing" nations coming together to consider post-war arrangements was "bigger than Russia and Ukraine," and characterised the effort as a broader recalibration of European security.
"It's much more about European security, this adjustment with America, the reassurance to America that Europe is taking more responsibility for its security. The energising of Europe," he said.
Sir Tony praised the response of former prime minister Boris Johnson and his senior ministers following Russia's 2022 invasion, contrasting that reaction with the West's response to Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea. He said the posture adopted after the 2022 invasion signalled a different, more engaged approach from Western governments.
The comments were part of a wide-ranging interview reflecting on global threats, alliance dynamics and the United Kingdom's defence posture as Sir Tony stepped down from the military's top job. He emphasised nuclear deterrence and NATO cohesion as central pillars of the UK's security outlook and framed recent allied cooperation over Ukraine as an important element in reinforcing transatlantic ties and European defence responsibilities.
Sir Tony's remarks come amid continued debate in the UK and among NATO members over force posture, burden-sharing and long-term planning following the war in Ukraine. His tenure as Chief of the Defence Staff encompassed a period of intensified support for Kyiv from Western governments and renewed focus on collective defence in Europe.
He retired from his post on Tuesday after nearly three years as the United Kingdom's senior military officer, leaving an institutional record shaped by the armed forces' role in supporting Ukraine and by efforts to adapt to a shifting strategic landscape in Europe and beyond.