EU and UK defense ties strengthen amid global concerns

The global turmoil caused by the Donald Trump administration is deepening the EU’s resolve to sign a defense and security agreement with the UK, which will allow British arms companies to participate in joint weapons procurement.

Trump’s threats not to protect NATO allies and his overtures to Russia are giving European countries an excuse to collectively rearm and increase defense spending. This is leading to discussions on how best to combine capabilities to “protect” Ukraine after a possible US-brokered peace deal.

A “coalition of the willing,” led by France and Britain, has paved the way for an agreement to be signed at the EU leaders’ summit next month, hosted by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, marking the first such gathering since Brexit.

An EU diplomat told the Financial Times (FT), “On defense, the Brits are basically back inside the tent. We just need this agreement to confirm it.”

As EU ambassadors met on Friday to prepare for this summit, four diplomats said that a majority of capitals wanted the defense and security agreement to be signed, along with a broader statement on geopolitical issues.

The European Commission has made such a document a prerequisite for the UK’s participation in the €150 billion loan program that governments can use for military procurement.

As a sign of close coordination, UK Defense Secretary John Healey co-hosted a “coalition” meeting in Brussels last week with his French counterpart, followed by a military supply meeting for Ukraine in Germany with his German counterpart.

At the same time, UK Finance Minister Rachel Reeves joined EU finance ministers in Warsaw over the weekend, seeking “deeper defense finance cooperation with our European allies.”

EU capitals also aim to finalize two more agreements with the UK, covering issues such as energy, migration, and fisheries. The latter is a contentious issue for France, Denmark, and other coastal EU countries that want to maintain access to UK waters after the current agreement expires in 2026.

France’s position, reiterated during the EU ambassadors’ meeting on Friday, is that any UK pressure to renegotiate the level of EU access to British fishing waters would overshadow broader negotiations, including defense.

Another EU diplomat said, “War, Trump, and European rearmament are bringing France and Britain closer. But we need goodwill on other issues to bring the EU and UK closer.”

Diplomats noted that both Paris and London are under pressure to find a compromise, with other capitals arguing that it would be “ludicrous” for a politically sensitive but economically insignificant issue like fishing rights to prevent closer cooperation on an “existential issue” such as European security.

The first EU diplomat told the FT, “While the French are looking at this with a magnifying glass, everyone else just sees the big and obvious strategic benefit.”

Denmark, another EU country with a strong fishing industry, said it is “always open” to closer cooperation with countries outside the European Union.

Economy Minister Stephanie Lose told the FT, “We know that we have close ties with Norway and the UK, so we should of course be open to exploring other things that can help strengthen Europe.”

Under the €150 billion program, governments will receive loans supported by the EU’s joint budget to finance the joint procurement of critical weapons, such as air and missile defense systems.

The defense agreement will allow the full participation of British defense companies, many of which have close ties with Italian, German, Swedish, and other EU defense industries.

Diplomats said that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President António Costa, who represents the bloc’s governments, support closer cooperation with Britain.

EU Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said, “To strengthen European defense, we need to do many things within the EU, but also many things outside the EU, so we are open to this engagement.”