UK Germany Defence Ministerial Council Joint Statement

The UK’s Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius co-chaired the second Defence Ministerial Council under the Trinity House Agreement, marking two years since its signing. They highlighted progress in strengthening bilateral defence ties to enhance European contributions to NATO and collective security. The meeting underscored the shared responsibility to reinforce deterrence and ensure Europe’s ability to provide necessary capabilities and forces for defence.

The UK and Germany reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine, committing to continue working through the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) to provide necessary military support. They agreed to strengthen the link between Ukraine’s requirements and partners’ capabilities, while also supporting efforts to secure a just and lasting peace with robust security guarantees.

Significant progress was noted in the joint development of Deep Precision Strike (DPS) capabilities, with ranges exceeding 2,000 km, to be delivered within the decade. The project supports jobs across the supply chains of both UK and German industries. Defence cooperation also extends to land, maritime, and air domains, including procurement of Sting Ray torpedoes and episodic deployment of German P-8A Poseidon aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth.

The partnership will evolve to include expanded cyber and artificial intelligence collaboration under the Trinity House Agreement’s Cyber Lighthouse Project. Additionally, the UK and Germany will deepen strategic defence space cooperation, exploring opportunities in satellite communications, earth observation, and space domain awareness. Both countries aim to maintain momentum in defence cooperation through 2027 with a focus on tangible outcomes.