The German Bundestag has approved the “Friendship Treaty” between Germany and the United Kingdom, which was already signed last summer by Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The accompanying bill was passed on Thursday with the backing of the governing coalition and the Greens; the alternative for the far‑right AfD was a “no” vote, while Die Linke abstained.
The 27‑page document calls for closer cooperation in areas such as defence, trade and migration. It foresees a “deepened exchange” on strategic security matters, covering specific topics like deterrence and defence, nuclear issues, arms control, non‑proliferation, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats, space security, counter‑terrorism, and the broader international security architecture.
A key feature of the treaty is a mutual assistance clause that extends beyond current NATO agreements. The parties reaffirm their close alliance by declaring a “deep commitment to mutual defence” and agreeing to provide assistance-including military means-to each other in the event of an armed attack on either side. The document argues that a strategic threat to one party also constitutes a strategic threat to the other, forming the basis for this collective pledge.