Significant Advancements in Defence Cooperation
Today marked the occasion of the second Defence Ministerial Council convened under the auspices of the Trinity House Agreement. Two years following the signing of this pivotal agreement, substantial progress has been achieved in fortifying defence collaboration between the United Kingdom and Germany.
The security interests of the United Kingdom and Germany are intrinsically linked to the broader security landscape of Europe. It is incumbent upon us to bolster the European contribution to NATO, enhance deterrence measures, and ensure that Europe possesses the requisite capabilities and forces to defend our collective interests. The framework established by the Trinity House Agreement, further enhanced by the Kensington Treaty, serves as a solid foundation for our joint efforts in this regard.
Commitment to Supporting Ukraine
Today, we reiterated our steadfast support for Ukraine amidst the ongoing illegal invasion by Russia. In our capacity as co-chairs of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG), both the United Kingdom and Germany are committed to collaborating with Ukraine and our international allies to ensure that the Ukrainian Armed Forces receive the essential support required. We acknowledged the necessity of advancing the UDCG, thereby reinforcing the connection between Ukraine’s needs and the capabilities of its partners. Furthermore, we remain dedicated to aiding Ukraine in achieving a just and enduring peace, anchored by solid and credible security guarantees. As part of the Coalition of the Willing, we will continue the development of these guarantees for implementation following the cessation of hostilities when conditions are favourable.
Progress in Defence Capabilities
We also discussed the significant developments in our landmark initiative to create Deep Precision Strike (DPS) capabilities, which are set to have ranges exceeding 2,000 km and are anticipated to be operational within the next decade. This initiative will not only enhance our military capabilities but also support employment opportunities across the supply chain for both UK and German industries.
Our Armed Forces are progressively deepening their collaborative efforts. In the land domain, we are refining our strategic partnership to bolster readiness and interoperability while exploring future capabilities and uncrewed systems. In terms of maritime collaboration, we have made strides in the procurement of Sting Ray, culminating in an Implementing Arrangement signed today between our National Armaments Directors. Additionally, we previously agreed for German P-8A Poseidon aircraft to operate from the UK on a temporary basis. This year marks the realisation of this commitment for the first time, with RAF Lossiemouth supporting German Navy P-8s during Exercise Dynamic Mongoose in May, and more recently in Exercise Strike Warrior, which concluded at the beginning of last month. These exercises have significantly strengthened our cooperation in the North Atlantic and North Sea regions. Our Air Forces will further enhance their collaboration through the bilateral Flight Plan, particularly regarding future uncrewed and collaborative combat capabilities.
Expanding the Scope of Cooperation
We acknowledged the necessity for our partnership to progress and adapt. Given the rapid advancements in this field, we will expand the Trinity House Agreement’s Cyber Lighthouse Project to include Artificial Intelligence. By collaborating on a select number of shared military use cases, we aim to deepen our bilateral cooperation in capability development, experimentation, and implementation.
Last month, the Federal Chancellor and the Prime Minister established a mutual ambition for the UK and Germany to deepen strategic cooperation in the realm of space. Today, our respective Ministries of Defence will initiate the necessary work to fulfil our part of this ambition. Building upon a robust foundation of defence space cooperation, we intend to enhance our strategic defence space relationship. We will leverage both bilateral and multilateral frameworks to explore collaboration opportunities across various domains, including satellite communications, earth observation and data exploitation, as well as space domain awareness and capability requirements.
Looking Ahead
When we signed the Trinity House Agreement in October 2024, we pledged to instigate a significant transformation in UK-German defence collaboration. Two years later, our Armed Forces, capability teams, and industries are actively engaging across an ever-expanding agenda. We have tasked our teams with sustaining this momentum through to 2027, maintaining a firm focus on delivery and tangible results. Together, the United Kingdom and Germany will persist in their support for Ukraine, deepen our partnership, and work towards safeguarding our continent by fostering a stronger Europe within a robust NATO framework.