Conflicts coming to the boil in an extraordinarily dangerous world, military chief warns

The head of the UK Armed Forces has said the world is currently "extraordinarily dangerous", with a number of conflicts taking place across the globe.

During his annual speech at the Royal United Services Institute, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said "a host of long simmering conflicts are coming to the boil".

"The world is responding, we are on the right path. But when we think a little further ahead, we need to check whether our collective response matches the urgency and gravity of the threats," he said.

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He added: "We're spending more on defence. We're transforming the Armed Forces. We're becoming more integrated.

"But is the machinery and thinking deep within the British state truly calibrated to the scale of what is unfolding? In short, does it all stack up?"

Admiral Sir Tony also said the wars in Gaza and Ukraine could destablise "an already febrile and agitated world", also mentioning tensions in North Korea and the western Balkans.

He also used his speech to urge Nato nations to stick together in the face of growing adversaries like Russia and huge uncertainties like the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The overarching message was one of a deteriorating world stage, but the Admiral also stressed the need for nations to continue their support for Ukraine.