Jeremy Hunt defended plans to cut civil service jobs to increase defense spending and aid to Ukraine during a surprise trip to Kiev.
The chancellor said cutting public services will cost “much less” compared to allowing Russia to succeed.
The government committed to increase UK military spending to 2.5% of national income by 2030.
Hunt confirmed the increase will cost an additional £20 billion, which unions say will be funded by cutting 70,000 jobs.
Downing Street said the plans would be funded through existing commitments to reduce civil service staff numbers to pre-Covid levels and give the Ministry of Defense (MoD) a share of an already announced increase in government spending on research.
The Public and Commercial Services Union said cutting civil servant jobs to pay for higher defense spending would lead to longer waiting lists for new passports, driving tests and driving licenses.
The announcement comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed that the UK would provide an additional £500 million to Ukraine this year, on top of the £2.5 billion already allocated.
Sunak added that the UK could continue to provide “at least the current level of military support to Ukraine for each year that is required”.
Speaking in Kiev ahead of a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky, Hunt said he hoped the funding increase would be “a turning point in this war”.
“We believe other European countries will follow us and this will send a message to Putin that he will not succeed,” Hunt said.
“The UK has a special role” in supporting Ukraine’s war effort because “we have the biggest defense budget in Europe”, he added.
“I’m here because if we want to restore peace in Europe, we have to make sure Putin doesn’t succeed with his war of evil aggression right here in Ukraine,” he said.
On reducing the civil service to pay for defense spending and aid to Ukraine, he said: “This is a choice, but the choice we are making is to invest in European security and defense.
“And if we stop Putin from doing what he’s trying to do in Ukraine, in the end, it will cost all of us a lot less.
“I think it is reasonable to reduce the civil service to the size it was pre-Covid, and I am confident we can do this with more efficient public service delivery.”
Hunt confirmed that spending, which will gradually increase over the next six years, would be £20 billion more than if spending remained at the current level of 2.3% of GDP.
The additional funding will also help fund Ministry of Defense programs already underway – such as an order for new naval frigates, the development of a new fighter aircraft and the modernization of Britain’s nuclear weapons systems.
These programs are proving to be very expensive and the Ministry of Defense has struggled to make ends meet with existing resources.
Labor Defense Secretary John Healey said on Tuesday that his party “wants to see a fully funded plan” to reach that level.
But the Conservatives have “repeatedly demonstrated that they cannot be trusted on defense”, he added.
He said Labor would review funding for the armed forces a year after taking office if it wins the general election later this year.
