British forces could 'join EU missions under Brexit defence pact', leaked draft reveals

9 May 2025, 10:54

British troops could be involved in the EU's military missions under a £127bn plan, according to a report.

The plan emerged in a leaked draft of the new defence and security partnership seen by The Telegraph.

It is reportedly being negotiated as the focal point of a UK-EU summit in London on May 19.

The draft says that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer would need to consider sending British servicemen and women on both “civilian missions and military operations and missions, upon the invitation of the EU”.

Signing up to the deal is “the first prerequisite for a third country to be able to participate in” the EU’s Security Action For Europe (Safe) fund, the draft states.

The scheme is seeking raise at least €150billion through the EU’s budget to buy weapons from manufacturers in participating countries.

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Britain wants to join the fund so British weapons companies can bid and win contracts from it.

The EU is expected to use the UK's involvement in the new defence pact as a bargaining chip for any involvement in Safe.

The newest version says third countries “must have entered into a security and defence partnership in order to open up eligibility”, the Telegraph reports.

Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, has drawn out the UK-EU draft dealing laying out areas where Brussels wants Britain to cooperate on foreign policy, defence and security.

It comes as the EU prepares to massively boost its defence spending, vowing to "re-arm Europe in "an era of re-armament".

Last month, European Commission president Ursula Von Der Leyen highlighted that the EU defence plans set out could mobilise around 800 billion euros for defence.

"We are in an era of re-armament. Europe is ready to massively boost its defence spending. Both to respond to the short term urgency to support Ukraine, but also the long-term need for more responsibility for our own European security," she said in her speech.

The UK-EU summit later this month is also expected to focus on smoothing trade, which comes after the UK struck trade deals with the US and India.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said she wanted to see trade barriers between the UK and the rest of the word fall.

She said ahead of the US deal: "The UK is an open trading economy, open for trade, open for business, open for investment.”

She said reducing trade barriers would be “good for living standards, good for businesses and jobs here in Britain”.

The Conservative Party have previously criticised Labour for looking to the EU after Brexit.

Dame Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, has previously said: "It is thanks to the freedom and sovereignty this country regained from the EU that we have been able to negotiate trade deals with other countries.

"The Government should be prioritising securing a trade deal with one of the world’s largest economies, not cosying up with Brussels. The Conservatives will continue to hold them to account for this."