LONDON (AP) – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will sign a treaty on Thursday pledging to strengthen defense ties and strengthen law enforcement cooperation with gangs immigrants on the UK channel.
His central leader in London made his first official visit in London since taking office in May. Starmer visited Berlin in August 2024 to announce plans for a “Friendship and Cooperation” treaty with Merz’s predecessor, Olaf Scholz.
Starmer, the leader of the left-wing Labor Party, has prioritized to curb gangs smuggling across channels. In 2024, about 37,000 people were found to cross the UK channel by boat from France from France, and over 20,000 people traveled through the first six months of 2025. Dozens of people tried to travel.
Berlin last year agreed to enable immigration to promote smuggling crimes in the UK, a move that would give law enforcement greater power to investigate the supply and storage of small boats used for crossing. Meles is expected to commit to adopting legal changes by the end of the year.
“Melz Prime Minister Meers is committed to making the necessary changes to German law to disrupt the supply lines of dangerous vessels that transport illegal immigrants across the entire channel,” Starmer said.
Germany and the United Kingdom – Europe’s largest and second largest economy – are also expected to announce a series of investment deals.
The treaty was built on the defense conventions between Britain and Germany, two of Ukraine’s biggest supporters, signed closer cooperation last year against Russia’s growing threat. It includes a promise of helping each other in the event of an attack.
The leaders are also expected to agree to jointly conduct joint export activities for joint production equipment such as armored vehicles and typhoon aircraft on Thursday and develop deep and accurate strike missiles over the next decade.
Starmer is committed to improving relations with UK neighbors, a sharp departure from the EU in 2020. He ruled out rejoining a single market or customs alliance of the group of 27 countries and was cool about the idea of reaching a youth mobility agreement with the EU, but tried to reduce trade barriers and strengthen defense cooperation.
“I feel very sorry for this day,” Melz told the German Parliament last week. “But if they work with us again in the field of foreign and security policy, it’s a good sign. Prime Minister Keir Starmer wants that.”
___
Murson reported on Berlin.
