On the 10th, British Prime Minister Starmer stated that the UK and France have signed the 'Northwood Declaration,' explicitly agreeing for the first time to coordinate their respective independent nuclear deterrent forces.
He made this announcement at a joint press conference with visiting French President Macron. The UK and France are the only two nuclear-armed nations in Europe.
Starmer said, "From today, our adversaries will understand that any extreme threat against this continent will trigger a response from both of our countries. Nothing could better demonstrate the importance of our relationship."
Macron stated that defense and security cooperation is essential to both France and the UK.
He pointed out that the situation in Europe has changed, and that the Franco-British partnership "must be adjusted accordingly."
According to the 'Northwood Declaration,' any adversary threatening the core interests of the UK or France could face a joint response from both countries' nuclear forces. The two countries will also set up a UK-France Nuclear Steering Group, led by the French Presidential Office and the UK Cabinet Office, to coordinate cooperation in nuclear deterrent operations and related areas.
On the 10th, Macron concluded his three-day state visit to the UK. During the visit, the UK and French leaders also reached agreements on combating illegal immigration and smuggling, and stated that the two sides would further strengthen cooperation in supercomputing, satellite communications, artificial intelligence, civil nuclear energy, and space exploration.