UK Admiral: Putin May 'Have a Bit of a Laugh' at British Naval Power

In June, British media reported that the number of Royal Navy ships has been reduced by half over the past 25 years. Even so, UK Prime Minister Theresa May continues to insist that Britain will remain a "leading defense nation" in the future.

Admiral Adam West, former British First Sea Lord, has warned against further cuts to the number of Royal Navy personnel, bemoaning the fact that the country's naval forces "are not operating to their full potential," which he said is "extremely worrying."

"People like [Russian President] Vladimir Putin must look and have a bit of a laugh at this great maritime nation of ours," West was quoted by The Mirror as saying.

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In this vein, he urged the government to increase defense spending and deliver an "uplift" in the number of Royal Navy recruits, which he said could add to the navy's defense capability.

West's remarks came after UK media reported that the country's military spending has been slashed to almost half since the end of the Cold War, something that had a negative impact on Royal Navy vessels at sea.

READ MORE: Ex-Military Chief Says UK Government is 'Living a Lie' on Defense Spending

With the number of Royal Navy ships reportedly also reduced by half over the past 25 years, UK Prime Minister Theresa May claimed in June that "the United Kingdom is a leading member of the NATO alliance."

"We are a leading defense nation and that will continue," she added.

However, the UK remains one of the few European countries that is out of sync with NATO's target spending of two percent of GDP on defense.