Merz calls on Great Britain, Germany and France to focus on migration and defense | Germany

The German Chancellor has challenged a strategic axis between London, Paris and Berlin to combat illegal migration and to deepen the defense compound, even though he explained that he “deeply regretted” Brexit.

In addition to Keir Starrer, Friedrich Merz appeared at a press conference in Stevenage after signing the Kensington Treaty, the first formal pact between Great Britain and Germany since World War II. The agreement signed in the V&A Museum and followed by a meeting in Downing Street contains plans for closer cooperation with migration, defense, trade and education, including a framework for the school exchanges.

Merz said the contract was overdue. “We had her in the European Union and thought that was enough … but we are now learning that it is not enough, so we have to do more,” he said.

The proposed trilateral orientation was driven by Berlin, but rigiders signaled clear support for closer cooperation with Germany and France and described the relationship of the United Kingdom to Merz 'government as an “explanation of our endeavor to work closely together”.

Merz confirmed his regret about Brexit: “I personally regretted this,” he said, but his call for three-way cooperation stimulates elements of the vision “Core Europe”, which was first proposed by his mentor Wolfgang Schäuble in the 1990s. He presented a closely integrated group of European powers that cited the continent, although Great Britain was not included.

In the world after Brexit, Merz and Strandmer position the United Kingdom as too important to rule out, even without connecting to the EU.

When Europe is suspended in NATO in NATO, when Europe was renewed by Russia and the uncertainty about Washington's future role, both guides emphasized the need to coordinate more continental.

According to Merz, the return authority signed by Great Britain and France last week should be expanded to a three-way pact with Germany in order to achieve a more coordinated reaction to irregular migration. “The cooperation between the United Kingdom and France … must be supplemented by an agreement that we want to achieve between us: Great Britain, Germany, France,” he said of a translator.

“We want to drastically reduce illegal migration in Europe. We are on the right track, but we have not yet reached the goal.”

Starer confirmed that Germany would change domestic law in order to enable the authorities to confiscate boat engines and smuggling components that are intended for channel transitions and close a long -term enforcement gap.

“We discussed this in detail … [The chancellor] the law will now change so that we can intervene, ”said the prime minister.

The Kensington Treaty, which was signed by Starrer, Merz, the British Foreign Minister David Lammy, and his German counterpart Johann WadePhul, includes a number of agreements that cover:

• A mutual auxiliary clause on national security, including joint recognition that Russia is “the most important and most direct threat to both countries”.

• Common procurement and development of defense technologies, including typhoon jets, boxing vehicles and long -range missiles.

• A common rail -skskforce to investigate infrastructure links, including a future London -Berlin train line.

• Obligations to increase school exchange programs and cultural ties.

The contract stops creating a formal military block, but in Great Britain it is closer with the two greatest migration and security in Europe that have become increasingly urgent due to the war in Ukraine and the uncertainty about the commitment and management of Washington.

Merz 'demand for a trilateral agreement comes that the pressure from the right-wing extremist alternatives against Germany in Germany is growing, where migration and defense spending have become politically volatile. Critics have accused his party of the Christian Democratic Union to lack a clear alternative to populist rhetoric, even when Merz tries to position itself as a stabilizing force in Europe.