LONDON – The UK–German relations have entered a “new chapter” following years of post-Brexit strain, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said ahead of talks with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Downing Street.
Speaking before their bilateral meeting on Wednesday, Starmer reflected on a conversation the pair had in Berlin last year.
“You and I sat down in Berlin last year, and I remember distinctly you saying to me that the relationship between our two countries was beginning a new chapter, a new opening,” he said. “And I profoundly believe that that is right, and that actually, we've followed through on that.”
Starmer highlighted a series of recent developments, including the German chancellor’s visit to the UK earlier this year, the signing of a bilateral treaty, and joint work on Ukraine, migration, and trade.
“So when you said we were opening a new chapter, we certainly have,” he said. “I think the relationship between our two countries is in a very strong position at every level.”
Steinmeier, who noted that his first visit to Downing Street was 25 years ago, said in the meantime, "a lot of things have happened.”
“I remember the difficult days after Brexit, and in the meanwhile, I think we have quite the capabilities to manage it a little bit better,” he said.
Echoing Starmer's comments about a “new chapter,” Steinmeier pointed to a shifting global landscape. “We have a new security situation in Europe, if not in the whole world. So, therefore, there is a need for closer cooperation,” he said. He added that the two also discussed economic ties, business links, and the “exchange of people.”
“So therefore, after some years with growing difficulties after 2016, I think we are in far better shape, and we have to engage in improving the situation and coming closer in this changing world with new threats to all of us,” he said.
The exchange marked the start of Steinmeier's three-day state visit to the United Kingdom, the first by a German head of state in 27 years, hosted at the invitation of King Charles III. Arriving at London's Heathrow Airport on Wednesday morning, Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Büdenbender, were greeted by Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, before proceeding to Windsor Castle for a ceremonial welcome complete with a 41-gun salute and a Guard of Honour inspection alongside the king and Queen Camilla. The pomp included a horse-drawn carriage procession through Windsor's flag-draped streets, adorned with oversized Union Jacks and German banners.
This landmark trip, spanning December 3 to 5, 2025, comes amid heightened European concerns over Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and uncertainties surrounding transatlantic relations under U.S. President Donald Trump's second administration. King Charles, in his banquet toast at Windsor Castle attended by around 160 guests, condemned "Russian aggression" and pledged that the UK and Germany would "bolster Europe" together while standing firmly with Kyiv. The monarch referenced the fall of the Berlin Wall 36 years ago and drew parallels to today’s resolve against authoritarianism, while Steinmeier praised Charles for "forging new ties" to heal the wounds of Brexit.
The visit builds on the Kensington Treaty, signed on July 17, 2025, by Prime Minister Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz — the first major bilateral agreement between the two nations since the Second World War. The treaty covers defence, migration, trade, energy, technology and cultural exchange, and commits both countries to 17 flagship projects reviewed every two years by a joint cabinet committee. Key elements include cooperation on long-range precision weapons, joint exports of Typhoon jets and Boxer armoured vehicles, North Sea renewable energy projects, and a new direct high-speed rail link. It also paves the way for visa-free school trips by the end of 2025.
On migration, the treaty requires Germany to pass legislation by Christmas 2025 making it a criminal offence to facilitate illegal entry into the UK, enabling intensified joint police operations against people-smuggling networks operating from German territory.
Support for Ukraine remains a central pillar. The UK and Germany, the two largest European contributors to Kyiv’s defence, have coordinated deliveries of drones, artillery and maritime systems, and are jointly developing deep-strike capabilities. Both leaders reiterated that any ceasefire must be based on full Russian withdrawal.
Bilateral trade exceeds €100 billion annually, with the treaty aimed at removing remaining post-Brexit barriers and boosting cooperation in electric vehicles, artificial intelligence and green technology. A new £20 million Mercedes-backed EV battery project announced during the visit will create 184 jobs in the UK.
The itinerary combined high diplomacy with powerful symbolism. On Thursday Steinmeier addressed both Houses of Parliament — a rare honour for a foreign head of state — and met German Premier League footballers. On Friday he travelled to Coventry to commemorate the victims of the 1940 Luftwaffe bombing of the city, laying a wreath at the cathedral ruins alongside British and German servicemen in a moving act of reconciliation.
The state visit crowns a remarkable turnaround in relations. From the acrimony of the Brexit years, London and Berlin have moved rapidly toward what both governments now describe as their closest partnership in decades. With European security under strain and traditional alliances in flux, the UK and Germany are positioning themselves as the twin pillars of a more self-reliant Europe.
As President Steinmeier prepares to depart on Friday evening, the message from both sides is clear: the post-Brexit chill is over. A new, deeper and more strategic chapter has unmistakably begun.
