The United Kingdom and the European Union’s executive branch have established a new security and defense partnership aimed at strengthening collaboration in areas such as aid for Ukraine. This agreement could also pave the way for British firms to take part in an EU initiative intended to increase investment in defense industries.
As outlined in a joint statement issued Monday, the EU and the UK plan to promptly examine opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation linked to a proposed €150 billion (approximately US$169 billion) EU loan program supporting defense procurement.
Key leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, convened in London to rebuild connections weakened by Brexit. With BAE Systems, Europe’s largest defense contractor, based in the UK, there has been concern that British defense firms could be excluded from EU procurement efforts. Von der Leyen noted during a press conference with Starmer and European Council President António Costa that this new agreement marks a significant first step toward UK involvement in Europe’s defense investment plans, including potential joint procurement projects.
The agreement aims to enhance cooperation on a wide range of issues, such as military support for Ukraine, defense industry development, military mobility, cybersecurity, space security, strategic dialogue, and countering hybrid threats.
Following the London meeting, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas emphasized on social media that deeper collaboration on matters like defense, counterterrorism, and peacebuilding would be mutually beneficial.
In addition to defense matters, discussions between the UK and the European Commission also covered cross-border youth travel, energy cooperation, fisheries, food standards, joint law enforcement efforts, and migration policies.
The agreement underlines a shared commitment to European security, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict initiated by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. It also reaffirms the EU and UK’s roles in supporting NATO, with both parties agreeing to consider creating an “administrative arrangement” with the European Defence Agency (EDA). This would allow the UK to participate in EDA-managed defense initiatives by facilitating secure information exchange and technical cooperation.
The partnership extends to maritime security, including work on autonomous naval technologies. Additionally, the UK and Germany recently announced plans to co-develop a new long-range strike system with a range exceeding 2,000 kilometers. This project, part of the European Long-range Strike Approach (ELSA), involves six nations—France, Germany, Poland, Italy, Sweden, and the UK—and is intended to bolster NATO capabilities and strengthen Europe’s defense industry, according to German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
