Burnham to hold security talks with German chancellor in Berlin
Downing Street said deeper co-operation in the face of rising hybrid threats from Russia would be high on the agenda during Burnham's first official visit to Germany.
By BBC News
Prime Minister Andy Burnham is due to hold security talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Thursday.
The meeting will focus on cyber-security threats, sabotage and other hybrid threats, with Downing Street saying closer UK-German co-operation in response to threats from Russia will be high on the agenda.
The visit is Mr Burnham’s first official trip to Germany. He is expected to receive military honours at the German Chancellery before holding his first face-to-face meeting with Chancellor Merz.
The two leaders will also formally ratify the 2025 Kensington Treaty, which sets out closer co-operation between the UK and Germany on science, technology, defence, security and economic growth.
The planned partnership will involve sharing information and co-ordinating efforts to monitor, deter and disrupt hostile activity, including cyber attacks and threats to critical infrastructure.
Downing Street said intelligence services in both countries had warned of rising hybrid threats. Germany recently accused Russia of launching a drone fitted with explosives at Leipzig/Halle Airport.
Mr Burnham said the UK and Germany were “joining forces to find, expose and disrupt” threats.
“Attacks on our infrastructure, our businesses and our democracies are not a distant threat,” he said. “They reach into people’s homes and workplaces, and they are designed to make us weaker and more divided.”
The talks are also expected to cover support for Ukraine, instability in the Middle East and disruption to global trade routes, including the Strait of Hormuz.
The visit will conclude with the formal launch of the joint UK-Germany partnership on hybrid threats.