Ruslan Bortnik, S e n i o r Re s e a r c h F e l l o w , HIIA T H E U K – G E R M A N Y M I L I T A R Y P A C T : E U R O P E ’ S N E W S E C U R I T Y P A R A D I G M O R A P L A Y W I T H I N N A T O ? The signing of the so-called Kensington Treaty between Germany and the United Kingdom on July 17, 2025, marks a notable moment in Europe’s security landscape. Berlin and London have agreed on a bilateral mutual defense pact, which demonstratively reiterates NATO’s Article 5 on their own terms, eighty years after the establishment of NATO following the end of World War II. Beyond symbolism, the treaty includes 17 projects establishing cooperation in areas ranging from nextgeneration missile development to strengthening NATO’s eastern flank. Shaken by Russia’s war in Ukraine, cracks within NATO, and the U.S. emphasis on greater European autonomy in defense, two of Europe’s strongest powers are showing their readiness to create a backup security system in NATO’s European part. Is this the beginning of NATO’s split into smaller circles of greater security or is this a big political-economic game in response to the U.S. and growing societal uncertainty?
