Britain and Germany will sign a mutual defense treaty

The United Kingdom and Germany will sign a mutual defense treaty today, obligating each nation to defend the other in the event of an armed attack. The agreement, to be signed in London by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Friedrich Merz, is a response to growing military threats from Russia and concerns about US defense commitments. The treaty will also include a joint program to develop a long-range missile system. The treaty, which follows negotiations that began in August 2024, does not replace NATO's collective defense principle. The UK is one of Europe's two nuclear powers, while Germany relies on the US nuclear umbrella.