UK, France announce coordinated nuclear deterrent, renewed defence partnership

The United Kingdom and France have declared that, while their nuclear deterrents remain independent, they can be coordinated to jointly respond to any “extreme threat to Europe.” The announcement was made on July 9 ahead of the formal signing of the agreement on July 10.

According to an overnight statement from the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the French presidency, the declaration will affirm that the respective deterrents of both nations “remain under national control but can be co-ordinated, and that there is no extreme threat to Europe that would not prompt a response by both nations,” Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to sign the agreement as he concludes his three-day state visit to the UK with a bilateral summit aimed at “rebooting” defense ties. The summit will focus on joint missile development and nuclear cooperation.

Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will co-host the London summit, where they are also expected to discuss ongoing support for Ukraine and efforts to curb undocumented immigration across the English Channel.

Ahead of the summit, France and Britain announced a refresh of their “defense relationship,” including plans for London and Paris to order more Storm Shadow cruise missiles — long-range, air-launched weapons jointly developed by the two countries and known as SCALP in France — while accelerating work on a replacement system.

The missiles have been supplied to Ukraine in significant quantities in recent years to assist Kyiv in its conflict with Russia.

The new partnership has been described by the MoD as a new “Entente Industrielle,” aiming to make “defense an engine for growth.”

“As close partners and NATO allies, the UK and France have a deep history of defense collaboration and today’s agreements take our partnership to the next level,” Prime Minister Starmer said in the statement.

Additionally, Starmer and Macron will participate remotely on July 10 in a meeting of the “coalition of the willing” supporting Ukraine, reaffirming their commitment to the embattled country amid ongoing tensions.

By Vugar Khalilov