By Dong Yifan
董一凡
On July 24, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius met with the visiting new UK Defense Secretary John Healey in Berlin. They exchanged views on further expanding defense cooperation and signed a joint declaration. Against the backdrop of increasingly complex geopolitical and regional security situations, the deepening of defense cooperation between the UK and Germany reflects their respective considerations in diplomatic and security affairs.
7月24日，德国国防部长皮斯托里乌斯在柏林会见到访的英国新任国防大臣约翰•希利。两人就进一步扩大防务合作交换意见，并签署联合声明。在当前地缘政治和地区安全形势日益复杂的背景下，英德两国深化防务合作，反映出在外交和安全事务上双方各自的考量。
The joint declaration states that the UK and Germany agree to establish a closer new relationship in defense cooperation and strengthen cooperation in areas such as the defense industrial base in Europe, equipment procurement, and research and development. Additionally, the two countries will engage in long-term cooperation to develop deep precision strike capabilities, improve the efficiency of joint operations, and jointly address challenges in areas such as cybersecurity. The UK and Germany also pledged to continue supporting Ukraine through enhanced defense assistance and R&D production.
联合声明称，英德双方同意建立更紧密的“英德新型防务关系”，在欧洲国防工业基础建设、装备采购和研发等领域加强合作。此外，两国将在建设“深度精确打击能力”方面进行长期合作，并提高联合行动的效率，共同应对网络安全等领域的挑战。英德双方还承诺通过加强防务援助和研发生产，持续支持乌克兰。
Apart from the visit to Germany, John Healey's European tour included visits to France, Poland, and Estonia, etc., aiming to strengthen communication and coordination with major military allies. From the UK's perspective, deepening defense cooperation with Germany and other European countries is a key measure for the new Labor government to adjust the country's foreign relations.
除访问德国外，约翰•希利此次欧洲之行还访问了法国、波兰和爱沙尼亚等国，旨在加强与主要军事盟国的沟通协调。从英国的角度看，深化与德国等欧洲国家的防务合作，是工党新政府调整对外关系的关键举措。
On the one hand, the Labor Party's "progressive realism" diplomatic philosophy, to some extent, continues the core ideas of the Conservative government, emphasizing the UK's role in defense and security cooperation with its allies while showing a more open and proactive attitude toward UK-EU relations. After the re-election of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer actively promoted meetings between the two sides, aiming to "restart" UK-EU relations and inject new political momentum into bilateral cooperation. The new UK government hopes that by deepening defense cooperation with the EU and its member states, it can foster closer UK-EU relations, create a positive environment and conditions for future bilateral cooperation in areas of trade, immigration, and border control, and reduce potential frictions and obstacles.
一方面，工党的“进步现实主义”外交理念，在某种程度上延续了保守党政府的核心理念，侧重于强调英国在防务方面的作用及与盟友的安全合作，同时在处理英欧关系上表现出更加开放和积极的合作姿态。英国新任首相基尔•斯塔默在欧盟委员会主席冯德莱恩获得正式连任后，便积极推动双方会晤，意在“重启”英欧关系，为双边合作注入新的政治动力。英国新政府希望通过与欧盟及其成员国深化防务合作，推动英欧之间形成更紧密的关系，为双方未来在贸易、移民、边境管控等领域的合作创造积极的环境和条件，减少潜在摩擦和阻碍。
On the other hand, the UK's joint promotion of equipment R&D and production with other countries can expand its advantages in the defense industry and is an effective means of actively engaging in large international defense projects. By participating in the development of the European sixth-generation fighter jet and establishing the AUKUS security partnership, the UK hopes to enhance its influence in the international defense equipment field as a "stakeholder". Moreover, the UK has long provided key components or technologies to Germany and other European countries in areas such as aircraft, missiles, and tanks. Given the current lack of economies of scale in the European defense industry, deepening defense industrial cooperation between the UK and Germany can help both sides integrate production capacity and R&D efforts and improve efficiency in weapon production and procurement in fields such as ammunition and long-range missiles.
另一方面，英国与其他国家联合推进装备的研发和生产，既能扩大其防务工业的优势，也是积极介入国际大型防务项目的有效手段。无论是参与欧洲六代机研发，还是筹建“美英澳安全联盟”，英国均希望通过这种“入股”方式，增强其在国际防务装备领域的影响力。此外，英国在飞机、导弹、坦克等装备领域长期向德国等欧洲国家提供关键零部件或技术。在当前欧洲国家防务工业规模经济效应不足的情况下，英德两国深化防务工业合作，有助于双方整合产能和研发力量，在弹药、远程导弹等领域提高武器生产和采购效率。
For Germany, despite proposing a series of plans to increase defense spending in recent years, its defense industry and capabilities have significant gaps that cannot be filled in the short term. Therefore, Germany needs to cooperate with EU partners and Western allies to inject new momentum into its defense development.
对于德国而言，尽管近年来提出一系列扩大防务开支计划，但其国防工业和防务力量的短板难以在短期内得到弥补。因此，德国需要通过与欧盟伙伴及西方盟友合作，为其防务建设注入新的动力。
At the same time, Germany needs to cope with possible adjustments after the US elections. An important measure is to enhance the defense industrial capacity of EU countries and the integration and coordination of European defense forces. To this end, Germany will, while participating in and supporting the European Defense Industrial Strategy, deepen defense cooperation with countries like the UK to increase its and the EU's participation in the development of global advanced weapons and its influence in regional and global security affairs.
然而，英国与德国乃至欧盟的双边军事安全合作仍处于初级阶段。如何界定双边合作与北约框架下的多边合作关系、如何克服各自财政约束带来的结构性挑战，都是双方在落实合作愿景时亟须解决的问题。
However, the UK's military and security cooperation with Germany, as well as with the EU, is still in its early stages. How to define the relationship between bilateral cooperation and multilateral cooperation under the NATO framework, and how to overcome structural challenges brought by their respective financial constraints, are urgent issues that both sides need to address in implementing their cooperation vision.
然而，英国与德国乃至欧盟的双边军事安全合作仍处于初级阶段。如何界定双边合作与北约框架下的多边合作关系、如何克服各自财政约束带来的结构性挑战，都是双方在落实合作愿景时亟须解决的问题。
(The author is an associate research fellow at the Institute of European Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.)
（作者系中国现代国际关系研究院欧洲研究所副研究员）
