Germany, UK sign post-Brexit friendship pact

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer sign a new friendship treaty | Photo: Michael Kappeler/dpa

By Michael Fischer and Christoph Meyer, dpa

London: Five years after Brexit, Germany and the United Kingdom have formally placed their relationship on a new footing with a wide-ranging friendship treaty. Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed the 27-page agreement – accompanied by a 17-point action plan – during a ceremony at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum on Thursday.

Merz, on his first visit to the UK since taking office in May, called it a “historic day for German-British relations.”

“We want to work more closely together, especially after the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union. It is long overdue that we conclude such a treaty with each other,” the conservative politician said at the museum. The treaty aims to deepen cooperation in key areas including defence, economic policy, migration and the fight against cross-border crime. It also outlines concrete measures to ease travel between the two countries, such as visa-free school trips and plans for a direct rail link. The preamble says both governments are “guided by the desire to join forces for a prosperous, secure and sustainable future for their 
citizens and their open, democratic societies in the face of fundamental changes of the geopolitical environment.”

Defence: Mutual assistance and arms cooperation

The treaty underscores the countries’ mutual defence obligations as NATO allies, which is made especially significant given the UK’s status as a nuclear power. The goal is to boost European deterrence and defence over the next decade.

The two sides plan to jointly develop a European-made long-range weapons system capable of striking targets up to 2,000 kilometres away, addressing a capability gap with Russian medium-range missiles.

Export rules for jointly developed military equipment will also be eased. Germany’s traditionally strict regulations have slowed arms exports in the past, but the UK hopes a more flexible approach could unlock billions in potential sales.

Visa-free travel and rail links

One of the most tangible steps is visa-free travel for German school groups visiting the UK, set to take effect by the end of the year.

Currently, students without German citizenship – such as those from Syria or Afghanistan – must obtain UK visas, which can be difficult and have led some schools to cancel trips entirely. An expert working group will also look into broader “mobility challenges” created by Brexit, especially in education, science, culture and political exchange.

A long-term goal is to establish a direct passenger rail connection between Germany and the UK. Currently, such travel requires transfers due to border control issues. A task force will be created to move this forward, with the first direct trains expected within a decade.

Meanwhile, British travellers will gain access to automated e-gates in Germany by the end of August, with further expansion planned as infrastructure allows.

Migration: Tackling human smuggling

Germany and the UK have agreed on an action plan to combat irregular migration, with a focus on human-smuggling networks. This includes legal cooperation, joint criminal prosecutions and strengthened border controls.

Starmer’s Labour government faces mounting pressure at home to reduce the number of small-boat crossings across the English Channel – a politically charged issue that has fuelled the rise of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, currently polling ahead of other parties.

With more than 20,000 Channel crossings already recorded this year, 2025 could break previous records.

Germany is seen as both a transit route for migrants and a source of boats and equipment used in the Channel crossings.

Last week, Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron announced a new migrant return agreement due to begin within weeks aimed at deterring migrants from making the dangerous journey. The deal still faces legal hurdles, however.

Merz and Starmer have crossed paths several times since Merz was sworn in on May 6, including during a surprise joint visit to Kiev alongside Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk just days later.

Merz on Ukraine: ’We will not give up

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks at the reconstruction conference for Ukraine | Photo: Michael Kappeler/dpa

DPA reported a pledge by Merz last week announcing continues solidarity with Ukraine, during a reconstruction conference for the war-torn country hosted in Rome. Our support for your country is unwavering,” Merz told Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky, who also joined the two-day meeting of Kiev’s allies in the Italian capital on Thursday. Addressing Russian President Vladimir Putin, the German leader said: “We will not give up.”

Merz also appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump not to abandon Europe, as Washington’s commitment to Ukraine’s defence remains unclear following a series of U-turns since Trump returned to the White House in January.

“Stay with us and stay with the Europeans. We are on the same page. And we are looking for a stable political order in this world,” Merz said.

Moscow’s accusation

Last week, DPA also reported charges by the Russian Foreign Ministry accusing Germany of wanting to participate in Ukrainian attacks inside Russia’s borders, just as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said diplomacy to end the conflict was not working.

“Behind this entire verbal smokescreen lies the poorly disguised desire of the Merz government to also take part in strikes deep within our country,” said spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, according to the state news agency TASS. Zakharova was referring to statements by Merz regarding the possible delivery of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, which has been fighting off a Russian invasion for more than three years. She added on Wednesday that Berlin was not considering the fact that the use of Taurus missiles against targets inside Russia would represent Germany’s entry into a conflict with Moscow.

The chancellor appeared last week on a talk show where he reiterated that it would not be German soldiers but Ukrainian soldiers operating the weapons system. Unlike his predecessor Olaf Scholz, Merz has repeatedly indicated in the past that he is open to delivering Taurus to Ukraine.

Last Wednesday, Merz told the Germany parliament that “the means of diplomacy have been exhausted” with regards to Russia ending the Ukraine war.