LONDON — On Monday, the United Kingdom and the European Union successfully signed a significant new defense and security agreement, marking a notable shift in relations between London and Brussels after years of tension stemming from Brexit.
This comprehensive pact was finalized on the day of a major summit in London, during which both capitals also agreed to extend the generous fishing rights granted to EU fleets in British waters for an additional twelve years, until 2038. This represents a substantial concession from the UK, following intense lobbying from France, and has immediately drawn scrutiny back home.
Negotiators worked late into the night on Sunday to reach this agreement ahead of the Lancaster House summit.
Key defense and cooperation initiatives
In terms of defense, the agreement paves the way for the UK’s participation in a European joint arms procurement program, a highly sought-after initiative given the UK’s lucrative defense industry. However, further negotiations will be necessary for the UK to gain actual access to the EU’s SAFE rearmament program, which has a budget of 150 billion euros, with budgetary contributions from London acting as the entry price.
Smiling during a press conference alongside European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated,
“Ladies and gentlemen, the UK is back on the international stage, working with our partners, making agreements that will grow our economy and put more money in the pockets of workers.”
Both Costa and von der Leyen praised Starmer’s leadership and spoke of a new spirit of cooperation between Brussels and London. Von der Leyen emphasized,
“What we have agreed on today is historic. It will truly change things for the citizens of the UK and across our Union.”
She further elaborated that the message sent to the world is equally important, stating that in the current global instability, Europe remains united in the face of significant threats.
Future agreements and energy cooperation
The security and defense pact formalizes cooperation in several areas, including hybrid warfare, cybersecurity, infrastructure resilience, and maritime security. Nonetheless, von der Leyen made it clear that there is still much work to be done, describing the agreement as merely