The Prime Minister met Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany in Berlin today.
The leaders welcomed the strength of the UK-Germany partnership under the Kensington Treaty and agreed to set a high level of ambition for its next phase.
The Prime Minister expressed solidarity with Germany following the attempted Russian drone attack at Leipzig airport. The leaders agreed on the need for a strong, collective European response to Russia’s hybrid threats, and welcomed the new UK-Germany partnership to deepen information sharing, contingency planning, and crisis response. They agreed there was opportunity to go further, and to work together to counter the malicious misinformation that threatens the resilience of Europe’s democracies.
The leaders reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine and discussed efforts to secure a just and lasting peace. They agreed on the need to keep up the pressure on Russia this winter.
The leaders spoke about the prospect of German participation in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) to develop a 6th generation stealth fighter jet. They agreed closer collaboration on defence supports the interests of both countries, as well as our allies, and committed to tasking their teams to engage further on this issue.
On migration, the leaders agreed that close cooperation is essential to tackling illegal migration and the criminal gangs behind it. The Prime Minister thanked Chancellor Merz for German law enforcement’s efforts to crack down on smuggling gangs and both leaders welcomed the Home Secretary’s recent meeting with Interior Minister Dobrindt and agreed to continue discussions on deeper collaboration.
The Prime Minister said the UK was committed to building a stronger, more ambitious partnership with the EU, focused on delivering practical benefits for citizens and businesses both at home and across the rest of Europe. He underlined the importance of a successful UK-EU Summit this year and the clear benefits that would follow, from jobs to growth, as the UK and EU work together to strengthen European industry, security, and resilience.
The two leaders discussed the shared challenges faced by British and European industries and the need for a collective response.
The Prime Minister and Chancellor Merz agreed that their teams would take forward the priorities discussed today and looked forward to bringing both their cabinets together for joint consultations next year.