BERLIN

Germany and the UK are set to sign a landmark "friendship treaty" during Chancellor Friedrich Merz's official visit to London on Thursday.

The extensive document, considered the most significant UK-German treaty since 1945, aims to establish deeper cooperation between the two countries on foreign policy and defense issues, among other areas.

“We want closer cooperation with the United Kingdom – on security and defense, trade and business. It’s good that the UK is moving closer to Europe once again. I look forward to deepening our friendship,” Merz said on X prior to his London meetings.

According to German diplomats, the landmark treaty includes a mutual assistance clause that strengthens the commitments both allies already have under NATO's Article 5, which states that an armed attack against one NATO member is considered an attack against all members.

"The friendship treaty should not be seen as a replacement for the North Atlantic Treaty, but rather as a supplement to it," explained a German diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "NATO's security and defense framework remains absolutely central and irreplaceable for us," he emphasized.

In the treaty, the UK and Germany are expected to declare that "there is no strategic threat to one which would not be a strategic threat to the other," affirming their deep commitment to mutual defense. The document is also expected to explicitly state that the parties “shall assist one another, including by military means, in case of an armed attack on the other.”

According to diplomats, the agreement will also establish a framework for closer defense industry cooperation between the two allies, supporting initiatives to enhance military interoperability and integration.

Additionally, the German and British governments will commit to facilitating the export of jointly produced defense products from intergovernmental programs or those developed by their industries.