LONDON: UK and Germany celebrated a significant advancement in military cooperation on Wednesday with the signing of a new defense pact aimed at countering threats from Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The agreement, known as the Trinity House Agreement, was signed by defense ministers John Healey of the UK and Boris Pistorius of Germany. It is intended to bolster NATO’s “European pillar” amid heightened tensions from the east.
A notable aspect of the pact is the deployment of German Boeing P-8 aircraft, which will patrol the North Atlantic from a base in northern Scotland. Moreover, German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall plans to establish a factory in the UK to produce artillery gun barrels using British steel.
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During a joint news conference, Healey emphasized the need for European allies to take greater responsibility for their own security, stating, “This is the driving force behind our NATO-first UK defense strategy.” He noted the shared threats, including the war in Ukraine, conflicts in the Middle East, and increasing Russian aggression, while highlighting shared values such as democracy and the rule of law.
Pistorius remarked on the responsibility to strengthen NATO’s European component, acknowledging that the U.S. may focus more on the Indo-Pacific region. He stated, “It is only a matter of whether they will do much less in Europe or just a little bit less. In any case, we must do more, and that is our task.”
