Relationship dossier
Germany
United Kingdom
Relationship assessment
Close bilateral partnership, with defence and security cooperation alongside Brexit-related friction
Germany toward United Kingdom
+65Germany has pursued structured cooperation with the United Kingdom through the 2021 bilateral treaty and the 2024 Trinity House Agreement on defence. The German government also works with the UK on NATO security and support for Ukraine.
United Kingdom toward Germany
+65The United Kingdom has pursued structured cooperation with Germany through the 2021 bilateral treaty and the 2024 Trinity House Agreement on defence. The British government also works with Germany on NATO security and support for Ukraine.
Overall relationship
+65The relationship is anchored in sustained security and defence cooperation, reinforced by bilateral agreements and collaboration on Ukraine. Brexit has created friction over the UK’s relationship with the EU, including trade and Northern Ireland arrangements, but the bilateral partnership remains substantial.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Germany and the United Kingdom maintain a close partnership focused on defence, security and political cooperation. Their 2021 bilateral treaty formalized cooperation across several policy areas, while the 2024 Trinity House Agreement strengthened defence ties. Both governments also cooperate through NATO and support for Ukraine. Brexit has complicated the wider European relationship and remains a source of friction, but it has not displaced substantial bilateral cooperation.
Areas of tension
- Brexit-related trade arrangements and the UK's relationship with the EU have complicated cooperation.
- Disagreements over the implementation of arrangements concerning Northern Ireland have affected the wider UK–EU relationship, in which Germany participates.
Key developments
Germany and the United Kingdom signed a bilateral treaty of friendship and cooperation.
The United Kingdom and Germany signed the Trinity House Agreement to deepen defence cooperation.
Major uncertainties
- The implementation and practical scope of the bilateral treaty and defence commitments may evolve.
- The longer-term effects of Brexit-related trade and Northern Ireland arrangements on bilateral cooperation remain uncertain.