Relationship dossier
Italy
United Kingdom
Relationship assessment
Italy and the United Kingdom sustain a close strategic partnership spanning defence, security and broader policy cooperation.
Italy toward United Kingdom
+70The Italian government cooperates with the United Kingdom under the 2023 bilateral strategic partnership, which covers areas including foreign policy, security, trade and migration. Italy also works with the UK in the Global Combat Air Programme with Japan and coordinates with it through NATO and the G7.
United Kingdom toward Italy
+70The UK government cooperates with Italy under the 2023 bilateral strategic partnership, covering areas including foreign policy, security, trade and migration. The UK also works with Italy in the Global Combat Air Programme with Japan and coordinates with it through NATO and the G7.
Overall relationship
+70The relationship has a durable strategic foundation, reinforced by the 2023 bilateral partnership and practical defence cooperation through the Global Combat Air Programme. NATO and G7 coordination add further sustained engagement. No major bilateral dispute is identified among the principal features of the relationship.
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
Italy and the United Kingdom maintain a close strategic partnership, with cooperation spanning foreign policy, defence, security, trade and migration. Both governments signed a bilateral strategic partnership agreement in 2023, and they participate together in the Global Combat Air Programme with Japan. NATO and G7 cooperation further reinforce the relationship, though these broader forums are not the sole basis for the assessment.
Key developments
Italy, the United Kingdom and Japan agreed to develop the Global Combat Air Programme, a joint next-generation combat aircraft programme.
The Italian and UK governments signed a bilateral strategic partnership agreement covering cooperation in areas including foreign policy, security, trade and migration.
Major uncertainties
- The implementation and longer-term scope of the 2023 strategic partnership are unclear.
- The extent of bilateral defence-industry cooperation beyond the Global Combat Air Programme is uncertain.