Germany’s Merz to sign friendship treaty during first visit to London

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are set to sign a bilateral friendship agreement when Merz heads to the UK on Thursday for his first official visit since taking office in May.

The 27-page treaty is mainly aimed at increasing cooperation in defence and foreign affairs, with both nations highlighting their obligation to defend each other in case of an attack, as stipulated by NATO.

Berlin and London also plan to expand cooperation in defence production.

Irregular migration is also expected to be high on the agenda, with Britain trying for years to tackle people smuggling across the English Channel.

Last week, Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron announced a new migrant return agreement due to begin within weeks aimed at deterring migrants from making the dangerous journey.

However, the deal still faces final legal verification and consultation with the EU bloc before it can come into effect, according to the PA news agency.

Merz and Starmer are also set to discuss economic cooperation, as they seek to restart German-Anglo ties following Brexit, which saw Britain withdraw from the European Union in 2020.

The two leaders have crossed paths several times since Merz was sworn in on May 6, including during a surprise joint visit to Kiev alongside Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk just days later.