UK, Germany Sign Treaty To Strengthen Economic, Defence Ties
The UK and Germany on Thursday signed a treaty aimed at deepening cooperation in defence, economic development, and migration control.
The agreement signed during German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s first official visit to London seeks to fix bilateral relations between the nations, nearly a decade after the UK exited the European Union.
During the signing ceremony, Merz described the pact as a “historic day for German-British relations”.
“We want to deepen our cooperation in the field of defence and in foreign policy, but also in economic and domestic policy,” Merz said.
The treaty reflects a growing alignment among Europe’s leading powers—Germany, the UK, and France—amid rising global threats and shifting geopolitical dynamics.
It comes as uncertainty with traditional allies like the United States grows, especially with Donald Trump back in the White House and imposing tariffs.
Among the key provisions of the agreement is a mutual assistance clause described by German officials as “highly significant” in light of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
The deal builds on last year’s bilateral defence accord, which included the joint development of long-range strike weapons.
As part of Thursday’s announcement, the UK and Germany also pledged to coordinate joint arms export campaigns to boost international sales of jointly produced military equipment such as the Typhoon Eurofighter jet and Boxer armoured vehicles.
The move signals a shift in Berlin’s approach, following years of export restrictions that had affected deals with countries like Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
Typhoons are co-produced by a European consortium that includes BAE Systems in the UK and Airbus in Germany. The Boxer armoured vehicle is the product of a joint venture between Rheinmetall and BAE Systems Land.
Furthermore, German defence technology firm Stark announced plans to build its first production facility outside Germany—in Britain—to manufacture AI-powered unmanned systems.
Beyond military cooperation, the treaty includes a commitment to create a direct rail link between the two countries and to jointly tackle irregular migration.
Germany pledged to stop illegal migration into the UK by the end of the year, granting law enforcement powers to crack down on smuggling operations, including raids on warehouses storing small boats used for channel crossings.
The agreement is viewed as a strategic step by the British PM to curb irregular migration and undercut the rising populist appeal of Reform UK ahead of the next election cycle.
UK, Germany Sign Treaty To Strengthen Economic, Defence Ties is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
