UK, Germany Expected to Sign Wide-Ranging Mutual Defense Treaty

Germany and the United Kingdom are set to sign a comprehensive defense agreement on July 17, building on a joint declaration by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz from last year. The treaty will include a mutual assistance clause stating that any strategic threat to one country will be considered a threat to the other, thereby strengthening Germany's mutual defense ties with both of Europe's nuclear powers and reflecting Chancellor Friedrich Merz's aim to bolster European deterrence independently of the U.S. While reaffirming commitment to NATO, the agreement underscores a shift toward closer European defense cooperation amid a perceived U.S. retreat from transatlantic security. Beyond defense, the pact will address issues such as combating illegal migration, transportation, research collaboration, and fostering cross-border exchanges, with youth mobility provisions requiring further EU-level negotiations due to the UK's Brexit-related restrictions. Negotiated over 18 rounds, the treaty reflects an extensive effort to deepen UK-Germany ties across security, economic, and social domains.