On 19 May, the European Union and the United Kingdom concluded a Security and Defence Partnership at the first EU–UK Summit.

The Security and Defence Partnership will facilitate regular high level dialogue and strategic consultations, joint initiatives, and may open the possibility for UK to participate in specific EU defence initiatives.

The Partnership comes at a pivotal time for European and global security, amid Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and growing geopolitical instability.

The Leaders welcomed agreement on the Security and Defence Partnership reflecting the shared commitment of both sides to deeper cooperation in the face of common threats.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, said: “The agreement for a new EU-UK Partnership on Security and Defence shows our shared responsibility for security in Europe and beyond. With this we will keep our citizens safer in the years to come. We are determined to increase our cooperation in an increasingly dangerous and hostile global environment, be it in tackling cybersecurity and hybrid threats or increasing collaboration between our defence industries. The EU and UK clearly see eye-to-eye on so many levels. We both see Ukraine’s security as our security and have taken the same fundamental decisions to support the country against Russia’s aggression. Today our message is simple: we are both committed to working together for our collective security, because we are all stronger when we do.”

This new Partnership provides a structured, forward-looking framework for EU–UK dialogue and cooperation in security and defence areas, such as:

• Peacebuilding
• Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) civilian and military crisis management
• Maritime Security
• Space Security
• Cyber issues and emerging disruptive technologies
• Countering hybrid threats and resilience of critical infrastructure
• Fighting foreign information manipulation
• Counterterrorism and preventing/countering violent extremism
• Climate and security nexus
• External aspects of economic security and irregular migration.

The partnership reflects a joint determination to reinforce European security in light of shifting global power dynamics. As the United Kingdom becomes an increasingly essential partner for European defence, the Partnership offers a concrete expression of the strategic importance both sides place on close, principled cooperation.

Background

The EU is enhancing its partnership toolkit on security and defence through Security and Defence Partnerships with selected bilateral partners. The development of tailored and mutually beneficial partnerships is a key pillar of the EU security and defence work, as highlighted in the EU Strategic Compass. This new instrument builds on our longstanding partnerships.

It is a tailored non-binding political framework of cooperation for selected partners, and it structures our broad and deepening relations across the full spectrum of peace, security and defence.