England, Aug 28: The United Kingdom and Germany are negotiating a bilateral defence agreement and plan to conclude it by early 2025, the office of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz would receive Starmer in Berlin and the two would discuss bilateral ties, as well as topics related to foreign affairs and European and economic policies.
“The new UK-Germany treaty will be a key pillar of the UK’s wider reset with Europe and build on the defence agreement, which is currently being negotiated between the two countries, and expected to be finalised in the autumn ? both sides wanting to agree the new partnership in early 2025,” the office said in a statement on Tuesday. The statement added that Starmer’s negotiating team will spend the next six months agreeing the new deal. The prime minister’s office also noted that as part of Starmer’s two-day visit to Europe, he will attend the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games in Paris and meet French business leaders the following day. (UNI)