PRESS RELEASE : UK and Germany agree closer cooperation in first ever UK-Germany annual Dialogue [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 January 2023.

• Foreign Secretary hosts German counterpart for high level talks on joint priorities
• support for Ukraine, energy security and combatting climate change on top of the agenda
• boost for cultural cooperation with the UK-Germany Cultural Commission set to meet for the first time since 1993

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly hosted German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in London today (Thursday 5 January) for the first annual UK-Germany Strategic Dialogue, in a sign of the deep partnership between the 2 countries. This is a major new forum for the two countries to agree cooperation on a range of priority issues.

The 2 ministers committed to increase cooperation on a range of joint priorities from further support for Ukraine to action on climate change.

UK Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly said:

The UK and Germany are the closest of partners and we are using the strength of our relationship to tackle the shared challenges we face today.

As Europe’s leading economies we’ve agreed to work closer on our unwavering support for Ukraine and combatting climate change.

There was a significant focus on global security in today’s talks. Both foreign ministers made clear their steadfast support for Ukraine in their fight against Russia’s illegal invasion and made a commitment to holding Russia accountable for atrocities, including conflict-related sexual violence.

The UK and Germany have already worked in tandem to respond to Putin’s aggression in Ukraine, working with the G7 and NATO to isolate Russia and support Ukraine. Today’s talks have deepened the UK-Germany partnership to enable even closer cooperation.

In a further sign of the current strength of the relationship, the UK-Germany Cultural Commission is set to be reinstated. It was originally set up in 1958 and will meet for the first time since 1993. It will agree priorities for how the UK and Germany can support people-to-people links over the coming year.

The UK-Germany Strategic Dialogue was set up in 2021, with the aim of agreeing areas for cooperation across foreign and security policy for the year ahead. Today is the inaugural meeting of the annual event.