A ‘new chapter’ for UK and Germany, says PM
PRIME Minister Rishi Sunak and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met in Berlin yesterday for talks on deepening the allies’ defence and security ties.
The two countries will open a “new chapter” in their partnership, Mr Sunak said.
The UK and Germany are closely aligned on matters including support for Ukraine and are the two biggest suppliers of military aid to the country after the US, but have so far opted to co-operate through Nato and G7 forums instead of strengthening bilateral ties.
However, Mr Sunak and Mr Scholz discussed closer co-operation on security, trade and illegal migration in one-on-one talks yesterday.
There are also plans to jointly develop remote-controlled 155mm Howitzer artillery systems to be fitted to Boxer armoured fighting vehicles, according to Downing Street.
It said the programme is expected to create hundreds of jobs in both nations, while equipping troops with cutting-edge capabilities for future ground warfare.
Mr Sunak’s stop in Berlin follows his visit to Warsaw, where he promised to raise defence spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030 in the face of threats from an “axis of authoritarian states” including Russia and China.
Ahead of his meeting with the German chancellor, in his first visit to Germany, the Prime Minister said: “The UK and Germany are European powerhouses. Together, we are stronger – whether that is defending against Russian aggression or driving economic growth and technological advance.
“Today we are opening a new chapter in our relationship, one that will make us safer and more prosperous. At this dangerous moment for the world, the UK and Germany are standing side by side to preserve security and prosperity at home and across our continent.”
Mr Sunak was also seeking to woo German businesses in Berlin to drive further economic cooperation, with No 10 saying German firms will announce new investment into the UK worth some £8 billion.
Germany is the UK’s largest trading partner in Europe. It is also the second-biggest provider of military aid to Ukraine after the US, and has recently promised the war-torn country another Patriot missile system to bolster its air defence. It will also meet its Nato target to spend 2% of GDP on defence, after Mr Scholz announced a historic national rearmament following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.