On July 10, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron plan to sign declarations aimed at strengthening coordination between British and French nuclear deterrence forces and advancing joint weapons development, including a new cruise missile to replace the Storm Shadow/SCALP.
The two countries have described the defense policy update as an “industrial agreement.”
“There is an expectation in Europe that, faced with revisionist neighbors, our two countries bear a special responsibility for the security of the continent,” Macron said.
While the United Kingdom’s special relationship with the United States remains the cornerstone of its defense strategy, President Donald Trump’s isolationist stance and unpredictable approach to alliances have led British officials to consider the possibility that Washington may not always be a reliable partner.
“There is tension and wariness in the transatlantic relationship. The British were stunned by the U.S. decisions on Ukraine — the suspension, albeit briefly, of intelligence sharing with Ukraine, a country at war. The reaction was: ‘Oh my God, this could happen to us,’” said Philippe Mazet-Sensier, director at consulting firm Teneo France and a reserve officer in the French army.
It was previously reported that the U.K. government is in talks with the Pentagon to purchase American F-35A stealth fighters, which are capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons.