The European Union’s executive and the United Kingdom have agreed a major security and defence partnership that could see them work more closely on critical areas such as support for Ukraine and pave the way for British companies to benefit from the EU’s plan to boost defence-industrial spending. The deal aims to re-establish some of the broken ties post-Brexit and make a joint contribution to European security.
Joint Statement and Financial Dimension
The UK and the European Commission have agreed to a joint statement on Monday to reduce the forecast for defence procurement. 150 billion euros (about 169 billion US dollars) “must rapidly explore possibilities for enhanced mutually beneficial cooperation”, as set out in the EU’s proposal for a loan scheme. This presents a significant opportunity for the UK defence industry to capture a share of Europe’s rising defence spending.
Repairing Post-Brexit Ties
Officials including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met in London on Monday in an attempt to repair some of the ties torn when Britain leaves the EU in 2020. Britain is home to Europe’s largest defense firm BAE Systems, and the EU’s plans to boost joint defense procurement within the 27-nation bloc risked leaving Britain’s defense industry out in the cold.
Von der Leyen, speaking at a joint press conference with Starmer and European Council President António Costa in London, stressed the importance of the agreement: “This will enhance our cooperation in security and defence initiatives. This is the first step towards the UK’s participation in Europe’s defence investment programme. This security and defence partnership opens the door to joint procurement.” These statements signal the opening of a new page for the future of defence cooperation in the post-Brexit era.
Areas of Cooperation and Strategic Importance
The parties said the agreement would help the EU and the UK increase cooperation in a number of critical areas, including:
- Support for Ukraine: It is emphasized that there is an unstable security environment in Europe and the wider neighbourhood, as demonstrated by Russia's "unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression" against Ukraine. In this context, coordination of support to Ukraine is of great importance.
- Defense Industry: Greater cooperation between defense industries is targeted through joint procurement and development projects.
- Military Mobility: Cooperation will be made to enable faster and more effective movement of military personnel and equipment within Europe.
- Space Security: It is planned to develop joint strategies against security threats in space.
- Strategic Consultation: There will be regular consultations on the overall security environment in Europe.
- Combating Cyber Issues and Hybrid Threats: Joint responses will be developed to next-generation security challenges such as cyber attacks and hybrid threats.
Kaja Kallas, the EU's top foreign policy official, reiterated the benefits of the partnership in a social media post after the London meeting, saying: "Whether it's defence, counter-terrorism or peacebuilding, we both stand to gain from working more closely together."
Non-Security Matters and Fundamentals of the Agreement
Beyond security and defence, the Commission and the UK discussed a range of issues, from cross-border youth travel to energy cooperation, from fishing rights to food standards, from working together on law enforcement to migration. These wide-ranging talks provide a comprehensive framework for the future of relations between the two sides.
According to the partnership agreement, the EU and the UK, “As Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine has shown, It faces an unstable and increasingly challenging security environment in Europe and the wider neighbourhood.” The text of the agreement declares shared responsibility by emphasising that “the UK and the EU are responsible for European security.”
The agreement also stated that the partnership would strengthen Europe's contribution to NATO. According to the 11-page document published by the British (12 pages in the EU version), the parties agreed on a partnership between the UK and the European Defence Agency (EDA). “administrative regulation” Such an arrangement, which would regulate the often mundane but vital security barriers for the exchange of information, would be a precondition for the inclusion of the UK in existing EDA-led development plans.
Maritime Security and Long Range Attack Capability
The EU and the UK also cooperate on a number of areas related to maritime security, particularly to increase cooperation on security aspects of maritime autonomous surface ships This demonstrates the potential for joint work on autonomous technologies that will play a major role in future naval warfare.
Ahead of this deal, the UK and Germany announced last week a new missile with a range of over 2.000 kilometres on long-range attack capability announced that they would work together. The move was a strategic step that would increase NATO's deterrent and revitalize the UK and European defense industries. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Thursday that the capability would be provided by a six-nation alliance consisting of France, Germany, Poland, Italy, the UK and Sweden. European Long Range Attack Approach (ELSA) These developments support the general trend towards increasing Europe's defence capabilities and strengthening coordination.
This security and defense partnership agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom is an important indicator of diplomatic and strategic rapprochement in the post-Brexit period. The geopolitical uncertainties created by the war in Ukraine are pushing both sides to increase cooperation to ensure European security. The agreement creates new opportunities for the British defense industry, while also having the potential to strengthen Europe’s overall defense capacity and increase its contribution to NATO. In the coming period, we will closely monitor how this partnership will translate into concrete projects and collaborations.
