Latest news with #defence cooperation
Free Malaysia Today
18-07-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
UK and Germany sign friendship pact, deepening ties amid threats
Friedrich Merz is on his first trip to London as Germany's chancellor. (AP pic) LONDON : Britain and Germany signed a wide-ranging friendship treaty today, deepening ties in areas ranging from defence to transport, to mark Friedrich Merz's first trip to London as chancellor, the latest visit to help reset UK ties with the EU. Merz's day trip follows a three-day state visit to Britain by French President Emmanuel Macron, signalling greater cooperation between Europe's top three powers at a time of threats to the continent and uncertainty about their US ally. 'This is a historic day for German-British relations,' Merz said at the signing ceremony in the Victoria and Albert museum, co-founded by Britain's Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert, of German origin. 'We want to deepen our cooperation in the field of defence, in foreign policy, but also in economic and domestic policy.' Coming nearly a decade after Britain voted to leave the European Union, the treaty is, on the one hand, a sign of the normalisation of German-British relations, said Nicolai von Ondarza at Berlin's SWP think-tank. 'On the other hand, the treaty is a sign that the UK has become even more important as a security partner due to transatlantic uncertainty.' Europe has been confronted with new US tariffs since president Donald Trump returned to the White House as well as questions about the US commitment to defend its European allies, including Ukraine against Russia's invasion. The treaty includes a clause on mutual assistance which, 'in light of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, is highly significant', a German official said earlier this week. It builds on a defence deal agreed last year that included the joint development of long-range strike weapons, and comes after France and Britain agreed last week to reinforce cooperation over their respective nuclear arsenals. Deeper defence As part of today's announcement, Britain and Germany pledged to 'pursue joint export campaigns' to drum up orders from other countries for equipment they make jointly, such as the Typhoon Eurofighter jet and the Boxer armoured vehicle. That could help boost sales, and represents a significant reversal from the previous 10 years, when Germany blocked Saudi Arabia and Turkey from buying Typhoons. Typhoons are made by a consortium of European companies, including BAE Systems in Britain and Airbus in Germany, with the different partner governments responsible for orders to different countries; the Boxer is made by a German-British joint venture, Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land. Further deepening ties, a German defence tech company, Stark, has also agreed to build a new factory in Britain, the first production facility outside of Germany, to create AI-powered unmanned systems. Beyond defence, the treaty also includes an agreement to develop a new direct rail link between the two countries and to jointly combat irregular migration, part of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's push to reduce the number of asylum seekers arriving in Britain to try to fend off the populist Reform UK party. Germany pledged to outlaw the facilitation of illegal migration to Britain, with a law change by the end of the year. That would give law enforcement the tools to investigate warehouses and storage facilities used by migrant smugglers to conceal dangerous small boats intended for illegal crossings to Britain.
The Guardian
18-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Merz calls for UK, Germany and France to align on migration and defence
The German chancellor has called for a strategic axis between London, Paris and Berlin to tackle illegal migration and deepen defence cooperation, despite declaring that he 'deeply deplores' Brexit. Friedrich Merz appeared alongside Keir Starmer at a press conference in Stevenage after the signing of the Kensington treaty, the first formal pact between the UK and Germany since the second world war. The agreement, signed at the V&A Museum and followed by a meeting at Downing Street, sets out plans for closer cooperation on migration, defence, trade and education, including a framework for school exchanges. Merz said the treaty was overdue. 'We had you in the European Union and we thought that was enough … but we are now learning that it's not enough, so we have to do more,' he said. The proposed trilateral alignment was driven by Berlin, but Starmer signalled clear support for closer cooperation with Germany and France, describing the UK's relationship with Merz's government as a 'statement of our ambition to work ever more closely together'. Merz reiterated his regret about Brexit – 'I personally deplore this deeply,' he said – but his call for three-way cooperation revives elements of the 'core Europe' vision first proposed by his mentor, Wolfgang Schäuble, in the 1990s. He envisaged a tightly integrated group of European powers leading the continent, though at the time Britain was not included. In the post-Brexit world, Merz and Starmer are positioning the UK as too important to exclude, even without rejoining the EU. As Europe faces renewed threats from Russia and uncertainty over Washington's future role in Nato, both leaders stressed the need for stronger continental coordination. Merz said the returns agreement signed by the UK and France last week should be expanded into a three-way pact with Germany to mount a more coordinated response to irregular migration. 'The cooperation between the United Kingdom and France … has to be complemented by an agreement that we aim to achieve between the three of us: UK, Germany, France,' he said via a translator. 'We want to drastically reduce illegal migration in Europe. We are on a good path, but we haven't reached the target yet.' Starmer confirmed that Germany would amend domestic law to allow authorities to seize boat engines and smuggling components destined for Channel crossings, closing a longstanding enforcement gap. 'We've discussed this at great length … [The chancellor] is now going to change the law so that we can intervene,' the prime minister said. Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion The Kensington treaty – which was signed by Starmer, Merz, the UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, and his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul – includes a range of agreements covering: A mutual assistance clause on national security, including shared recognition that Russia poses 'the most significant and direct threat' to both countries. Joint procurement and development of defence technologies including Typhoon jets, Boxer vehicles and long-range missiles. A joint rail taskforce to explore infrastructure links, including a future London–Berlin train line. Commitments to boost school exchange programmes and cultural ties. The treaty stops short of creating a formal military bloc, but it aligns the UK more closely with Europe's two largest powers on migration and security, areas that have become increasingly urgent as a result of war in Ukraine and uncertainty about Washington's commitment and direction. Merz's call for a trilateral agreement comes as pressure grows from the far-right Alternative für Deutschland in Germany, where migration and defence spending have become politically volatile. Critics have accused his Christian Democratic Union party of lacking a clear alternative to populist rhetoric, even as Merz tries to position himself as a stabilising force in Europe.
The Guardian
17-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Merz calls for UK, Germany and France to align on migration and defence
The German chancellor has called for a strategic axis between the London, Paris and Berlin to tackle illegal migration and deepen defence cooperation, despite declaring that he 'deeply deplores' Brexit. Friedrich Merz appeared alongside Keir Starmer at a press conference in Stevenage after the signing of the Kensington treaty, the first formal pact between the UK and Germany since the second world war. The agreement, signed at the V&A Museum and followed by a meeting at Downing Street, sets out plans for closer cooperation on migration, defence, trade and education, including a framework for school exchanges. Merz said the treaty was overdue. 'We had you in the European Union and we thought that was enough … but we are now learning that it's not enough, so we have to do more,' he said. The proposed trilateral alignment was driven by Berlin, but Starmer signalled clear support for closer cooperation with Germany and France, describing the UK's relationship with Merz's government as a 'statement of our ambition to work ever more closely together'. Merz reiterated his regret about Brexit – 'I personally deplore this deeply,' he said – but his call for three-way cooperation revives elements of the 'core Europe' vision first proposed by his mentor, Wolfgang Schäuble, in the 1990s. He envisaged a tightly integrated group of European powers leading the continent, though at the time Britain was not included. In the post-Brexit world, Merz and Starmer are positioning the UK as too important to exclude, even without rejoining the EU. As Europe faces renewed threats from Russia and uncertainty over Washington's future role in Nato, both leaders stressed the need for stronger continental coordination. Merz said the returns agreement signed signed by the UK and France last week should be expanded into a three-way pact with Germany to mount a more coordinated response to irregular migration. 'The cooperation between the United Kingdom and France … has to be complemented by an agreement that we aim to achieve between the three of us; UK, Germany, France,' he said via a translator. 'We want to drastically reduce illegal migration in Europe. We are on a good path, but we haven't reached the target yet.' Starmer confirmed that Germany would amend domestic law to allow authorities to seize boat engines and smuggling components destined for Channel crossings, closing a long-standing enforcement gap. 'We've discussed this at great length … [The chancellor] is now going to change the law so that we can intervene,' the prime minister said. Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion The Kensington treaty – which was signed by Starmer, Merz, the UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, and his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul – includes a range of agreements covering: A mutual assistance clause on national security, including shared recognition that Russia poses 'the most significant and direct threat' to both countries. Joint procurement and development of defence technologies including Typhoon jets, Boxer vehicles and long-range missiles. A joint rail taskforce to explore infrastructure links, including a future London–Berlin train line. Commitments to boost school exchange programmes and cultural ties. The treaty stops short of creating a formal military bloc, but it aligns the UK more closely with Europe's two largest powers on migration and security, areas that have become increasingly urgent as a result of war in Ukraine and and uncertainly about Washington's commitment and direction. Merz's call for a trilateral agreement comes as pressure grows from the far-right Alternative für Deutschland in Germany, where migration and defence spending have become politically volatile. Critics have accused his CDU party of lacking a clear alternative to populist rhetoric, even as Merz tries to position himself as a stabilising force in Europe.
The Independent
17-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Germany closing small-boat loophole in new treaty with UK
& Elizabeth Piper Britain and Germany signed a wide-ranging friendship treaty, marking German chancellor Friedrich Merz 's first visit to London and aiming to deepen bilateral ties. The treaty builds on recent efforts to reset UK- EU relations, following French president Emmanuel Macron 's visit, and signals increased cooperation among Europe's leading powers. Key areas of cooperation include defence, with pledges for joint export campaigns of military equipment and a new German defence tech factory in Britain. The agreement also covers transport, including a new direct rail link, and joint efforts to combat irregular migration, with Germany committing to outlaw facilitation of illegal crossings. Germany pledged to outlaw the facilitation of illegal migration to Britain, with a law change that would give law enforcement the ability to investigate warehouses where small boats are stored.
