The governments of the United Kingdom and Germany have signed a new cooperation and defense agreement, known as the Kensington Agreement. It is named after the location where it was signed — the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington, London.
This is the second agreement in this area after the Trinity House agreement, which was signed on October 23. The Kensington Agreement expands, clarifies, and deepens previous defense arrangements, prompted by the russian federation's aggression.
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In particular, Article 3 stipulates that the parties, as close allies, reaffirm their deep commitment to mutual defense and assistance to each other in the event of an armed attack against the other party, including by military means.
Against this backdrop, the question arises as to why this clause is necessary if there is Article 5 of the NATO Charter. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated during a briefing with his British counterpart Keir Starmer that the Kensington Agreement does not supersede the agreement within the Alliance.
However, on July 10, also in London, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with French President Emmanuel Macron. A declaration was signed stating that the respective deterrent forces of both countries are independent but can be coordinated, and that there is no extraordinary threat to Europe that would not trigger a response from both countries.
This agreement entails not only coordination between Paris and London on the operational use of their nuclear forces, but also joint efforts in nuclear research and the co-development of long-range weapon systems. In particular, as a result of this agreement, the Storm Shadow / SCALP cruise missile will become more powerful, and production lines will be modernized. In addition, a replacement for it is planned, along with the development of a new long-range air-to-air missile.
The development of long-range weapons is also covered by the British-German Kensington Agreement, including the development of a missile with a range of 2,000 km. At the same time, the deadlines are also specified - within a decade.
It is clear that the United Kingdom is effectively positioning itself at the center of a new trilateral defense arrangement. This is despite the fact that all three countries are already bound by similar NATO commitments. Reaffirming mutual defense commitments necessarily involves updating and clarifying the practical steps for enhancing defense cooperation.
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