UK and France to declare ‘coordinated’ nuclear deterrent
Both countries will jointly respond to any ‘extreme threat to Europe’, as they reboot their defence ties with a focus on missile development
The UK and France will declare that the two nations’ nuclear deterrents, while independent, can be coordinated and that they will jointly respond to any “extreme threat to Europe”, both countries said on Wednesday.
The declaration, to be signed Thursday, will state that the respective deterrents of both countries remain under national control “but can be coordinated, and that there is no extreme threat to Europe that would not prompt a response by both nations,” the UK’s Ministry of Defence and the French presidency said in an overnight statement.
French President Emmanuel Macron will sign the agreement on Thursday as he wraps up his three-day state visit to the UK with a bilateral summit, where the allies will “reboot” defence ties with a focus on joint missile development and nuclear cooperation.
France’s leader and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will co-host the London summit, with the two sides also expected to discuss maintaining support for Ukraine and curbing undocumented cross-Channel immigration.
Ahead of the gathering, which follows two days of varied events spanning pomp and politics, trade and culture, France and Britain announced their “defence relationship” will be “refreshed”.
It will see London and Paris order more Storm Shadow cruise missiles – long-range, air-launched weapons jointly developed by the two countries and called SCALP by the French – while stepping up work on a replacement system.