Samira Braund, the Defence Director at ADS, explores why a safer Europe necessitates a strengthened partnership with the UK in this special defence focus
The European security environment has dramatically changed in recent years, laying bare vulnerabilities and dependencies. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, together with threats against other European countries, poses a serious challenge to continental peace and security.
Meanwhile, increasing global uncertainty has underlined the need for the continent to take more responsibility for its own defence. While addressing these challenges will require a massive undertaking at a scale we perhaps have not seen since the post-war period, it also presents a unique opportunity for Europe to be united, delivering together for a shared and vital purpose.
European defence needs collaboration
Part of this responsibility is the need for European countries to work collaboratively in developing robust industrial and technological capabilities, producing and maintaining the equipment required by their armed forces, and collectively ensuring that the whole of Europe benefits from the increasing momentum within the defence landscape.
For if Europe is serious about defence, it’s key that it uses all of its strengths and resources available to defend our shared values.
Although no longer part of the European Union (EU), the UK remains deeply embedded in Europe’s defence industrial ecosystem. Decades of joint projects, shared strategic interests, and common values continue to bind the UK and EU closely together. This enduring relationship is further reinforced by NATO’s recent pledge for Member States to spend at least 3.5% of GDP on defence, a bold commitment that signals a new era of seriousness and ambition in European security.
The UK’s defence industry, technological innovation, and operational experience are vital assets in meeting this pledge. Collaboration with the UK is not just beneficial – it is essential. Whether through joint procurement, interoperability initiatives, or shared R&D, Europe’s defence future depends on unity, pragmatism, and mutual trust.
The UK is a key enabler of European security
Yet, for almost a decade, the UK has stood at the margins of Europe’s new defence frameworks. Since Brexit, the absence of a formal UK-EU agreement on security and defence has limited collaboration, undermining Europe’s collective potential.
That is why the announcement on 19th May 2025 of a UK-EU Security & Defence Partnership was so significant. It marked a long-overdue return to cooperation, and it acted as a catalyst for further agreements: the UK-France Declaration on Modernising Defence and Security Cooperation, and the Kensington Treaty with Germany, both reaffirming commitments to deterrence, readiness and industrial collaboration.
These agreements hold the promise of breaking down regulatory barriers, integrating supply chains and enabling shared defence programmes, which are all vital steps to strengthening Europe’s capabilities.
However, chief among these promises is the UK’s inclusion in the EU’s proposed £150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) defence fund. SAFE inclusion would allow the UK and EU to bridge capability gaps, build a stronger single European defence market, and prepare more effectively for future challenges outlined in the European Defence White Paper.
Integrating the UK’s industrial powerhouse within the wider cog of Europe will not only unlock opportunities for the hundreds of innovative and agile businesses within the UK, but it will also allow the industry within the EU to work in partnership with these firms rather than in competition.
Time is short
But at the time of writing, we are three months on from the signing of the UK-EU Security & Defence Partnership and clarity on the UK’s participation in SAFE remains scarce.
This matters. The UK may be outside the EU, but its industries remain deeply embedded in European supply chains, and its defence sector is integral to Europe’s collective strength. Cooperation within EU programmes is not a luxury. It is a necessity.
While we did not expect every detail of SAFE to be finalised immediately, a delay of more than a few months risks halting the momentum. The clock is ticking. Europe needs to place orders, build industrial capacity and prepare its defence ecosystem now. But without the UK being part of this, it won’t be at the scale and capacity needed.
A watershed moment
Europe stands at a defining moment. Strategic autonomy cannot be achieved without swift, deliberate, and cooperative action between governments.
Europe’s security is not guaranteed; it needs deliberate cooperation and sustained commitment. As the EU begins to implement its Defence White Paper and the associated industrial strategy (EDIS), now is the moment to deepen defence cooperation. The UK’s defence industry remains an integral part of Europe’s broader ecosystem. Ensuring that future collaboration is structured to enhance Europe’s resilience, industrial scale, and strategic autonomy will benefit both sides, but it must be met with precise, timely delivery.
