Britain seeks German help against people-smuggling gangs on landmark Merz visit

LONDON (AFP) — Britain sought a firm commitment Thursday from Germany to change its law to help smash people-smuggling gangs, as the two countries agreed to boost defense ties on the first official U.K. visit by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

The trip comes a week after undocumented migrants also topped the political agenda during a state visit to Britain by French President Emmanuel Macron.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Merz signed the first ever "friendship treaty" between their countries at London's Victoria and Albert Museum before heading for talks at the prime minister's Downing Street office.

Merz said London and Berlin had agreed on an exchange program for German and British students.

Speaking in German, he said he believed allowing the "young generation" to get to know each other and their respective countries was a "good basis for the further development of our relations."

The two leaders were also expected to unveil a deal to jointly produce military goods such as Boxer armored vehicles and Typhoon jets, which could lead to "billions of pounds of additional defense exports," Downing Street said.

They were to commit to developing a precision strike missile with a range of more than 1,250 miles in the next decade.

"Chancellor Merz's commitment to make necessary changes to German law to disrupt the supply lines of the dangerous vessels which carry illegal migrants across the Channel is hugely welcome," Starmer said ahead of the talks.

His office said it was hoped the German legal changes could be made "this year."

Undocumented migration has become a major headache for Starmer's year-old Labour government, as support for the upstart anti-immigrant Reform UK party soars.

More than 22,500 would-be asylum-seekers have arrived on England's southeastern coast by small boat from northern France this year alone.

The "friendship treaty" also seeks to improve post-Brexit ties with its neighbors.

Brexit trauma

Macron's trip in early July was the first state visit to the country by a European Union head of state since Brexit — the U.K.'s acrimonious 2020 departure from the bloc.

A German government source said "we shouldn't underestimate" how much relations with the U.K. had improved since the "traumatic" experience of Brexit.

The friendship deal would be a "foundation on which we go further to tackle shared problems," Starmer said.

The two leaders were also to discuss continued support for Ukraine, with both countries expected to play a role in U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to send weapons to Kyiv with financing from other NATO countries.

The visit is Merz's first to the U.K. as chancellor, although he has already met Starmer several times, including on a trip by train to Ukraine just days after he took office in early May.

The wide-ranging treaty will refer to the turbulent security situation faced by both countries, and include a mutual defense pact.

"There is no strategic threat to one which would not be a strategic threat to the other," pact says, with a pledge the two countries "shall assist one another, including by military means, in case of an armed attack".

While Britain and Germany already have a commitment to mutual defense as NATO members, the treaty aims to pave the way for greater defense cooperation, including operations on NATO's eastern flank.

Train links

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul accompanied Merz, meeting with his British counterpart, David Lammy.

On migration, Merz's government is expected to make a commitment to modify German law by the end of the year to criminalize the facilitation of "illegal migration."

This will include action against storage facilities used by migrant smugglers to conceal small boats intended for Channel crossings.

The two countries will also commit to improving train connections.

Last month Eurostar said it planned to launch a new route from London to Frankfurt in the early 2030s — the first such direct connection between the U.K. and Germany.

—

By HELEN ROWE with JASTINDER KHERA in Berlin, Agence France-Presse