"The head of the UK armed forces revealed that the country did not have a 'national defence plan' and admitted that 'we can't do everything' - after PM Keir Starmer appeared to commit troops to both Ukraine and Greenland - as he spoke before lawmakers in a tense session of the defence committee in London on Monday. "I think your question is that if we wanted to do everything that's currently in the programme and do all the extra things in the SDR (Strategic Defence Review 2025) could we do that with the budget that we've got and the answer is no I mean it's painfully it's absolutely true," Air Chief Marshal Richard Knighton admitted. "I think I understand exactly what you're saying. I think we all understand from what we've just said that you cannot continue the way you are without avoiding cuts to the programme," one lawmaker interjected, to which Knighton hit back: "Don't try and put words in my mouth." "I'll be completely honest with you that we will not be able to do everything that we would wish to do as quickly as we might want to do it within that envelope," Knighton added. Knighton also admitted to lawmakers there was no 'national defence plan' - and blamed decades of relative peace. "I think that it is a manifestation of the peace dividend," he said. " t's one of the most obvious is that since the end of the Cold War we have not prioritised those matters and so as a consequence the government for many years, has not, of many hues, has not focused its its efforts on developing that that kind of plan I'm pleased to say that partly as a consequence of what's in the strategic defence review that is changing so I would say that you will, the national, the complete national defence plan, that is a question for Cabinet." Last week, PM Starmer committed to putting boots on the ground in Ukraine following any peace deal - and even suggested they could be sent to Greenland too. It followed Donald Trump's own suggestions he could take control of that Arctic territory - although Downing Street said it was part of potential NATO 'step up' in the High North. Asked if any attempt by the US to 'take Greenland' would 'shatter' the alliance, Knighton reacted: "it won't come as a major surprise I suspect that I have not been involved in plans to directly to defend Greenland." "Greenland is part of Denmark which is part of the NATO which is part of our overall NATO area of responsibility," he added. "I've heard and seen the reports of what US officials have said about their concern around the security of Greenland, particularly against Russia and China… The Danish Chief of Defence Staff is bringing together a range of Chiefs of Defence this afternoon. Sadly, I can't go because I'll be talking to the all-party parliamentary group this evening." "