
Two bald men fighting over a comb: The UK–Germany ‘alliance'
Which is why it's safe to assume that the German government is fully aware the so-called Kensington Treaty – signed with the UK on July 17, 2025 – is not a serious agreement. There are several reasons for this. First, both countries are NATO members, and only the United States enjoys the freedom to bend bloc rules. Second, neither Britain nor Germany possesses the military resources or political will to rebuild a meaningful defense posture. And third, there's no one for them to fight – at least not credibly.
This odd little treaty capped off what was already a turbulent week in global affairs. It began with contradictory statements from US President Donald Trump about Ukraine and ended with yet another Israeli airstrike – this time targeting Syria, where the new regime is battling internal unrest. Amid such chaos, the Berlin-London accord adds the perfect dash of absurdity: a ceremonial nod to 'unity' that distracts from the West's deepening dysfunction.
The British and German leaders say their pact covers everything from defense cooperation to environmental policy. In reality, it's a political pantomime. Unlike the raw aggression of Israel or the economic ultimatums coming from Washington, this is Western Europe's softer contribution to the week's geopolitical theatre – a performance full of noise but void of substance.
Consider the Israeli strikes on Syria, a continuation of Tel Aviv's self-declared role as 'sheriff of the Middle East.' Israel's foreign policy, once bound by red lines, now seems guided only by brute impulse. Whether such a strategy is sustainable remains to be seen, but its message is clear – and chilling.
Then there's President Trump. His recent comments on Russia and the Ukraine conflict suggest a new American approach: shift the entire burden of confronting Moscow onto European allies. The scale of those expected 'costs' is still unknown, but the confusion in European capitals was immediate. Trump's remarks left the EU's biggest players looking disoriented, scrambling to understand what Washington actually expects.
For months now, the Western Europeans have played the role of geopolitical extras – sitting through summits, issuing statements, and floating vague proposals like a 'peacekeeping force' for Ukraine. The idea is laughable. Moscow would never allow it, and everyone knows it. Yet these leaders continue to perform, hoping performance alone will pass for policy.
Now Trump has called their bluff. He wants cash, troops, commitment. NATO's new Secretary General Mark Rutte – now reborn as an American loyalist – welcomed the idea enthusiastically. But key European capitals balked. France, Italy, and the Czech Republic refused to participate in the new American initiative. France, despite loud rhetoric, has provided only token military aid to Kiev – ten times less than Germany. Italy has given even fewer crumbs.
So what do Western Europe's 'leading powers' do instead? They stage a show.
Enter the Kensington Treaty. Its breadth is comical: a proposed direct rail link between London and Berlin 'to improve defense capabilities,' plans for school tourism, joint forums on business, and German investment in Britain to create about 600 jobs. This is not geopolitics; it's domestic public relations dressed up as diplomacy.
But the core problem runs deeper. For decades now, Western Europe has struggled with a contradiction it cannot resolve. On the one hand, its politicians recognize the need to appear decisive in security matters. On the other, they know that real military action – especially against Russia – is a fantasy. There is no scenario where they could win. So they gesture, but never act.
After the launch of Russia's military operation in Ukraine, this tension briefly gave these Western European leaders a sense of purpose. They could speak boldly, posture grandly. But in the three years since, not much has changed. Despite grand declarations and strategy papers, the bloc has failed to meaningfully expand its defense capacity. At most, they might manage to recruit a few thousand mercenaries from impoverished Balkan states to send to the front.
Even this is unlikely. Any serious move toward independent military power in Western Europe will immediately trigger scrutiny from Washington. The United States has no intention of allowing its trans-Atlantic partners to act unilaterally – no matter how often it demands they 'do more.' When Trump says the bloc must rearm, he means it should buy American weapons. Not build its own industry, not forge its own path. Just consume US exports.
This explains why the supposed 'militarization' of Germany has sparked so much talk but so little change. It isn't about Berlin becoming a threat – it's about Berlin spending more on F-35s. Western Europe remains dependent, constrained, and cautious. Yes, it can still cause harm to Russia in limited ways. But the image its politicians sell to their voters – that of a bold, united, and prepared half-continent – is an illusion.
The new Anglo-German treaty is just the latest act in this tragicomic performance. It makes no military sense, no diplomatic sense, and no strategic sense. But it makes perfect political sense – for a Western Europe that is drifting, divided, and desperate to look busy while doing nothing at all.This article was first published by Vzglyad newspaper and was translated and edited by the RT team.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Russia Today
3 hours ago
- Russia Today
German armed forces look to teens to close recruitment gap
The German Defense Ministry wants 40,000 new recruits a year by 2031, Der Tagesspiegel reported on Thursday, citing informed sources. Teenagers may be called up to serve if volunteers cannot fill the gap, the newspaper said. Sources in the ministry told the outlet that the initial aim would be to boost the number of volunteers for the army reserves starting next year. If contract soldiers are not enough to fill the quota, Berlin would reintroduce mandatory conscription for 18-year-olds from 2028, defense officials said. The ministry will present a draft bill on the changes to the cabinet in August, which will then move to the parliament for approval. The project aims to boost volunteer numbers from 15,000 this year by 3,000-5,000 annually, offering pay rises, driver's license subsidies, and bonuses as incentives, according to Der Tagesspiegel. From 2027, all young men and female volunteers would complete military questionnaires assessing their interest in joining the German armed forces. Suitable candidates would undergo voluntary medical checks, the aim of which would be to provide a 'situational overview' of their health suitability, broadcaster ZDF said. Germany has repeatedly debated whether or not to return to conscription, which was suspended in 2011. Along with other EU countries, it moved to revamp its military readiness after the Ukraine conflict escalated in February 2022. In March, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen floated a proposal to marshal €800 billion ($914 billion) in debt and tax incentives to re-arm the EU in the face of what she described as a 'Russian threat.' Moscow has repeatedly dismissed such claims as 'nonsense.' German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has vowed to make the Bundeswehr the 'strongest army' on the continent. In neighboring France, President Emmanuel Macron has proposed reviving voluntary national service to increase the number of reservists from 40,000 to 100,000 within a decade, while ruling out the reinstatement of the draft.


Russia Today
6 hours ago
- Russia Today
US ready to buy Ukrainian drones
The US has reportedly agreed to buy combat drones from Ukraine, Vladimir Zelensky announced on Thursday, stating that the deal could be worth up to $30 billion. Speaking at a press conference in Kiev, Zelensky said he had reached an understanding with US President Donald Trump and had instructed his ministers to prepare an agreement. 'With Trump, we agreed that the US will buy drones from us,' he told reporters, adding that a contract worth $10–30 billion is now being drafted. Earlier this month, Zelensky said that he had discussed a 'mega deal' on drone procurement with Trump. According to the New York Post, American defense officials have warned that US drone technology lags behind that of Russia and China, prompting efforts to accelerate purchase and development. In announcing the potential export deal, Zelensky also mentioned that Kiev urgently needs funding to cover its budget shortfalls. 'Forty billion [is needed] for the deficit, 25 for drones, missiles, electronic warfare. That's already 65 billion,' he said, adding that he has already asked for these funds from multiple European leaders and institutions. Zelensky also insisted that the West pay the salaries of Ukrainian servicemen. He noted that so far, European donors have refused to cover wages, funding only weapons. However, pay for Kiev's soldiers should be included as well, he argued, because they are 'weapons.' The Ukrainian leader's remarks come as the US has significantly scaled back direct financial aid. Trump has stressed that further assistance to Ukraine 'will be a business for us,' specifically saying that the US would no longer be paying for Patriot air defense systems, which will instead be funded by the EU and European NATO members. Moscow has repeatedly condemned Western financing of Ukraine, with Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova arguing that paying for its weapons amounts to funding the 'death' of the country.


Russia Today
a day ago
- Russia Today
Germany looks to reinvent warfare with spy cockroaches
Germany is heavily investing in futuristic warfare technologies, including surveillance cockroaches and AI-powered robots, as part of a sweeping rearmament plan, Reuters reported Wednesday. The outlet spoke to two dozen executives, investors, and policymakers to examine how the EU's largest economy aims to play a central role in the rearming of the continent. Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently announced plans to increase Germany's overall military budget to €153 billion ($180 billion) by 2029, up from €86 billion this year. He pledged to allocate 3.5% of GDP to defense under a new NATO framework to counter what he called a direct threat from Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed Western concerns about Russian aggression as 'nonsense,' accusing NATO of using fear to justify increasing military budgets. According to Reuters sources, Merz's government views AI and start-up technology as critical to its plans. This week, the cabinet approved a draft procurement law designed to streamline the process for startups developing cutting-edge technologies, from tank-like robots and unmanned mini-submarines to surveillance cockroaches. The law aims to help such companies quickly contribute to the modernization of Germany's armed forces. Публикация от Cerebral Overload (@cbrovld) Startups like Munich-based Helsing, which specializes in AI and drone technology, alongside established defense contractors such as Rheinmetall and Hensoldt, are now leading Germany's military innovation, the article said. Critics of the German government's policies warn that continued military spending could strain the national budget and further damage the country's industry, already burdened by rising energy costs, the fallout from sanctions on Russia, and trade tensions with the US. Germany has been the second-largest arms supplier to Kiev since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, surpassed only by the US. Russia has consistently denounced Western weapons deliveries, saying they prolong the conflict and risk escalating tensions. Moscow has warned that Berlin's policies could lead to a new armed conflict with Russia, decades after the end of World War II.