UK to sign major defense deal with Germany this week, as part of efforts to strengthen military and security ties with the European Union. The agreement includes joint military exercises on NATO's eastern border, possibly in Estonia and Lithuania, as well as joint procurement and development of new-generation weapons, The Times reported, as quoted by Focus.
UK Defense Secretary John Healy said he hoped the deal would boost both countries' defense industries, which is critical as the West comes under pressure to rebuild its armies after supporting Ukraine. The deal is also seen as a first step towards wider cooperation between the UK and the EU in defence, intelligence, energy and the fight against illegal migration.
The agreement with Germany will be the UK's most important bilateral military agreement since the 2010 Lancaster-House treaty with France, which cemented close military cooperation between the countries. Germany, which significantly increased defense spending after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, is now the second largest military spender among NATO countries.
As part of Project Asgard, British troops stationed in Estonia will receive new drones, radio systems and improved technology to improve their combat training. Healey emphasized that these improvements will make troops more maneuverable and technologically equipped to deal with larger adversaries.
The UK will also join a new initiative to develop advanced long-range missiles, along with Germany, France, Poland and Italy. These missiles will have a longer range than the current Storm Shadow, which Ukraine has successfully used in attacks against Russian military targets in Crimea and the Black Sea.