London (Agencies) July 18, 2025: The United Kingdom and Germany have signed a historic bilateral treaty—dubbed the Kensington Treaty—marking their most comprehensive defence and strategic cooperation agreement since World War II. The accord was signed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during a ceremony at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum on July 17, 2025.
The treaty spans 30 articles and covers mutual defence, intelligence sharing, arms exports, migration control, and economic collaboration. It identifies Russian aggression as the most significant and direct threat to European security, reaffirming both nations’ commitment to NATO while establishing a mutual assistance clause pledging support in the event of an armed attack.
Under the treaty, both nations will co-develop advanced missile systems and AI-powered unmanned platforms. They will coordinate joint export campaigns for shared military products such as the Eurofighter Typhoon and Boxer armoured vehicles, easing previous restrictions on arms trade. Provisions also include cooperation on countering hybrid threats, infrastructure attacks, and cyber activity. German P-8A Poseidon aircraft will conduct episodic deployments from UK bases to strengthen maritime patrol coordination.
In a notable extension to security cooperation, Germany will introduce legislation targeting smuggling networks responsible for irregular migration, while an annual Home Affairs dialogue will strengthen joint efforts against cross-border crime. The treaty also formalizes a “triangle alliance” with France to enhance trilateral engagement at international forums including the G7, United Nations, and Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Provisions were also included to facilitate educational exchange and cultural collaboration between the UK and Germany, aiming to deepen ties among youth and academic institutions.
Viewed as a strategic reset in UK-German relations post-Brexit, the treaty signals Europe’s intent to reinforce its own defence posture amid global uncertainty. Chancellor Merz called the agreement “long overdue,” while Prime Minister Starmer praised it as a “bold step toward deeper European unity.”