UK and EU Explore Renewed Talks on Defence Cooperation

According to Rokna, citing The Guardian, Maroš Šefčovič, the EU’s trade commissioner, is scheduled to visit London next week to hold talks covering trade, energy, and fisheries. However, diplomatic sources indicate that the UK is eager to resume negotiations on defence at the earliest opportunity.

Previous talks for the UK to join the EU’s €150bn (£130bn) Security Action for Europe (Safe) defence fund broke down in November 2025, amid concerns that the EU had set the entry cost too high. France denied responsibility for the collapse, but sources say tensions remain between Paris and other member states, particularly Germany, which reportedly wants the UK’s participation in Safe “as soon as possible.”

A European source said that France sought to make UK involvement in Safe conditional on London joining a separate defence programme approved in December by EU leaders. This programme involves a €90bn loan to Ukraine, secured against Russian frozen assets held in Belgium. Germany, however, opposes any preconditions.

Diplomatic insiders in Brussels described the November deadlock as “embarrassing,” given that both the EU and the UK had previously expressed support for “enhanced cooperation” through Safe at the summit hosted by Starmer and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in May of last year. Nonetheless, there now appears to be greater willingness on all sides to agree to UK participation in a future round of Safe, particularly in light of Donald Trump’s threats regarding Greenland and his criticisms of NATO.

Speaking in Beijing on Friday, Starmer did not specifically mention defence, but stressed that the UK seeks a closer relationship with the EU beyond trade agreements. Potential areas for future deals include chemicals and automobiles, with tariffs set to be applied next year on non-electric vehicles. The UK is also negotiating a youth mobility scheme, with Starmer seeking caps on numbers and fixed travel durations.

“I think we should not just follow through on what we’ve already agreed. The relationship with the EU and each summit should be iterative,” Starmer said. “We should aim to go further. There are other areas in the single market where progress could be made. That will depend on discussions and what serves our national interest. But I believe we can go further. The focus should be on the single market rather than the customs union, which no longer serves our purposes effectively.”

Pressure is mounting within Starmer’s own party to strengthen EU ties, especially given the complicated relationship with the US under Trump. Stella Creasy, Labour MP and chair of the Labour Movement for Europe, said: “There is growing recognition that our future depends on restoring a strong working relationship, not only on defence but on national and economic security. Everything should be on the table in talks with EU countries.”

Šefčovič will meet Nick Thomas-Symonds on Monday for the annual EU-UK Partnership Council meeting, established to oversee the post-Brexit agreement. Defence is not currently on the agenda, as the UK prioritizes progress on food and drink. Šefčovič and EU economy commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis are also set to meet Rachel Reeves on geoeconomics, and Šefčovič will hold discussions with Peter Kyle, the UK’s business secretary.

Further opportunities to discuss defence may arise at a political summit in Washington on Wednesday, convened by Marco Rubio to focus on critical minerals, with the UK sending a minister.

Regarding renewed defence cooperation, one source close to the UK government said: “The UK was willing to contribute a certain amount, but a significant gap remained between the parties. Europe needs the UK, so this issue could be revisited. However, the French were seen as pushing an unreasonable stance. The UK is open to a second attempt, but if the EU repeats the same proposal, the outcome would likely be the same.”

It is reported that the EU requested UK contributions of around €2bn, while the UK considered a contribution in the “hundreds of millions” more appropriate. The Safe fund is financed by the European Commission through credit markets and lent to member states over 45 years, enabling purchases of equipment ranging from ammunition to drones and missiles. Low-interest loans help member states acquire military hardware from within the EU and beyond, including the UK and countries such as Canada.

The fund’s aim is to allow the EU to rapidly build up defence capacity, a goal made more urgent by the lack of support from the previous US administration. While the UK cannot apply for a Safe loan, joining the programme under third-country rules would allow UK companies to bid for contracts to supply arms to the EU, benefiting the British defence industry.