UK and Germany Forge Landmark "Friendship and Cooperation Treaty" in Post-Brexit Reset
In a historic move hailed as the most significant bilateral agreement between the two nations since 1945, the United Kingdom and Germany officially signed a comprehensive "Friendship and Cooperation Treaty" on Thursday, July 17, 2025. This landmark accord, signed by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in London, aims to fundamentally strengthen bilateral ties across a broad spectrum of sectors, signaling a major reset in post-Brexit relations.
Chancellor Merz described it as a "historic day for German-British relations" and stressed that such a formalized partnership was "long overdue," especially following the UK's departure from the European Union. Prime Minister Starmer echoed these sentiments, calling the treaty "historic" and a "statement of intent" to work even more closely on critical global challenges.
A Comprehensive Framework for Enhanced Cooperation
The new treaty establishes a robust bilateral framework for enhanced cooperation, with a particular focus on areas of shared strategic importance. It builds upon existing strong relations and aims to deliver tangible benefits for citizens of both nations. Key pillars of this ambitious agreement include:
Defence and Security: This forms a central core of the treaty, building on the 2024 "Trinity House Agreement on Defence cooperation."
Mutual Assistance Clause: A significant commitment where both countries vow to "assist one another, including by military means, in case of an armed attack on the other." This effectively reinforces their existing NATO Article 5 obligations, underscoring that a strategic threat to one is considered a threat to the other.
Joint Defence Development: A commitment to jointly develop a new Deep Precision Strike capability (2,000 km+ range) within a decade, a key component of the European Long Range Strike Approach (ELSA). They will also continue collaboration on Uncrewed Aerial Systems and future air connectivity.
Joint Export Campaigns: Pledges to pursue joint export campaigns for jointly produced military equipment, such as the Typhoon Eurofighter jet and Boxer armored vehicles, expected to generate billions in additional defence exports.
Reinforcing NATO's Eastern Flank: Explicit commitments to strengthening capabilities on NATO's eastern flank.
Foreign Policy & Geopolitical Coordination: The treaty formalizes closer coordination in multilateral forums like NATO, the UN, and the G7, while also explicitly mentioning the aim to intensify trilateral cooperation between the UK, Germany, and France (the E3 format), recognizing their central role in European security.
Economic Cooperation, Trade & Investment: The agreement aims to promote prosperity, growth, and innovation. This includes:
Establishing a new UK-Germany Business Forum to boost cooperation and identify high-growth potential areas.
Working together to leverage renewable energy potential, particularly in the North Sea.
Addressing broader "mobility challenges" created by Brexit for businesses and individuals.
Migration: A crucial element for the UK, the treaty includes a strong commitment to combat illegal migration. Germany has notably pledged to introduce new legislation by year-end to criminalize the facilitation of illegal migration to the UK, empowering law enforcement to disrupt human-smuggling networks and their operations, including targeting storage facilities for small boats.
People-to-People Contacts & Education: The treaty includes significant educational provisions designed to ease exchanges between students and schoolchildren. Efforts will be made to promote greater youth mobility and mutual understanding between the two nations. Plans for a new direct rail connection are also being explored to deepen these ties.
Energy and Climate Action: Enhanced cooperation in seizing opportunities from the renewable energy sector and addressing climate change.
Science, Digitalisation & State Modernisation: Collaboration on technological change, research, and improving public services through digitalization.
A Bold Statement in a Changing Geopolitical Landscape
Signed at London's historic Victoria and Albert Museum, the "Kensington Treaty" marks Chancellor Merz's first official visit to the UK since assuming office. The treaty comes at a critical time when European nations are seeking to bolster their collective security in the face of ongoing threats, particularly from an aggressive Russia, and a shifting global power dynamic.
While both nations are already bound by NATO's mutual defence pact, this bilateral treaty explicitly underlines their deep commitment to each other's defence and their shared resolve to enhance Europe's security and deterrence capabilities in the coming decade. It represents a clear intent to deepen a partnership rooted in shared values and interests, forging a new chapter for German-British relations in the post-Brexit era.
