UK and Germany will face threats together, says Burnham in Berlin

What is the Kensington Treaty, and what commitments does it make between the UK and Germany?

The Kensington Treaty is a formal security and defence partnership between the UK and Germany. Andy Burnham and Friedrich Merz ratified the 2025 treaty in Berlin. It matters because both governments say they face increasingly regular hybrid attacks and can respond more effectively together.

The treaty commits the two countries to tackling hostile activity. This includes countering hybrid attacks and interference in democratic processes. The partnership also covers cooperation in quantum technology and space. Burnham said the agreement should improve security in Europe while helping economic growth and living standards.

The treaty gives the partnership a broader future direction. The UK will seek to progress Germany joining the Global Combat Air Programme, which develops a next-generation fighter aircraft. Burnham also aims to host the first joint UK-German cabinet meeting next year. The agreement therefore links immediate security concerns with longer-term defence, technology and political cooperation.

What does “hybrid attack” mean, and how is it different from a conventional military attack?

A hybrid attack combines pressure and disruption that may not look like traditional warfare. The article gives cyber attacks, sabotage and misinformation as examples. These actions can destabilise a country without a formal declaration of war, making responsibility harder to prove and responses more complicated.

A conventional military attack normally uses overt armed force, such as troops, missiles or aircraft against military or civilian targets. Hybrid activity can instead target information, infrastructure, computer systems or public trust. Sir Mark Lyall Grant described hybrid warfare as falling between peace and war, an area where Russia has been highly active.

The distinction matters because hybrid threats can happen regularly while countries remain formally at peace. Burnham said the UK and Germany face them “on a regular basis”. Their treaty therefore focuses on joint action against hybrid attacks and interference in democratic processes, alongside traditional defence cooperation.

What areas will the UK and Germany cooperate on, such as cyber-security, democratic processes, quantum technology, space and defence?

The UK and Germany plan to cooperate across several connected security areas. They will work against hybrid attacks and interference in democratic processes. They also want closer collaboration on quantum technology and space. These areas matter because modern security depends on digital systems, trusted public institutions, advanced research and infrastructure beyond the battlefield.

The Kensington Treaty provides the formal framework for this work. Burnham said both countries would counter hostile activity together. He also said the UK government would seek to progress Germany joining the Global Combat Air Programme, led by Italy, Japan and the UK, to develop a next-generation fighter aircraft.

The partnership is still developing. Burnham hopes to host the first joint UK-German cabinet meeting next year. The two governments also discussed security risks linked to Russia, including undersea cable mapping and the Leipzig/Halle Airport incident. Cooperation could therefore connect defence planning with technology, intelligence and resilience against interference.

How widespread are the threats described in the article, and how many different kinds of hostile activity are mentioned?

The threats described are not isolated incidents. Burnham said the UK and Germany face hybrid attacks “on a regular basis”. European leaders have also warned that Russia-related hybrid attacks have intensified. The article links this pressure to European support for Ukraine after Russia’s invasion.

At least seven distinct forms of hostile activity are mentioned: cyber attacks, sabotage, misinformation, interference in democratic processes, explosive drone attacks, undersea cable mapping and espionage. The article also discusses hostile activity generally and intelligence concerns. These examples affect digital systems, public trust, transport, infrastructure and national security.

The incidents span several countries and institutions. Germany accused Russia of launching an explosive drone at Leipzig/Halle Airport, while Russia was accused of mapping undersea cables in the North Sea. A former spy chief’s arrest has also raised questions about Germany’s reliability as an intelligence partner. The treaty seeks a coordinated response.

What could happen to European security, economies and democratic institutions if these threats continue or intensify?

If hostile activity continues or intensifies, European countries could face greater insecurity and pressure on democratic institutions. Misinformation and interference can undermine trust in democratic processes. Cyber attacks and sabotage can disrupt essential systems. The article describes hybrid attacks as potentially destabilising, especially when they remain below the level of open war.

The Leipzig/Halle Airport incident shows how a critical transport hub could become part of a security crisis. Undersea cable mapping raises concern about infrastructure connecting countries. These examples demonstrate that threats can affect public services, economic activity and support for Ukraine, not only military forces.

The article presents cooperation as a way to limit those risks. Burnham said the Kensington Treaty would improve security in Europe and help grow the economy and living standards. Closer UK-German and UK-EU cooperation could also support growth and help address irregular migration, although the article does not quantify the possible economic effects.

Why are places such as airports and undersea cables important targets in modern conflict?

Airports and undersea cables are important because they support systems that cross national borders. Leipzig/Halle is described as a major international freight hub used to provide support to Ukraine. Undersea cables in the North Sea are important enough that Russia’s alleged mapping of them concerned a former UK national security adviser.

The article presents two different mechanisms. An explosive drone could threaten an airport’s operations and create fear around a transport hub. Mapping cables could help identify vulnerable infrastructure or prepare for future disruption, although the article does not say what Russia intended. Both activities fit the wider discussion of hybrid warfare.

These targets matter beyond their physical locations. An airport incident could affect freight and support networks. Cable activity concerns connections between countries. That is why Burnham and Merz are discussing shared responses. The Kensington Treaty aims to strengthen cooperation against hostile activity affecting European security and infrastructure.

Why is closer UK-German cooperation historically significant, given that the Kensington Treaty is described as their first treaty since the Second World War?

The Kensington Treaty carries historical weight because Burnham called it the first treaty between Germany and the UK since the Second World War. He described the moment as significant. The agreement therefore represents more than a current security arrangement; it establishes a formal partnership at an important point in European affairs.

Its immediate purpose is practical. The countries want to confront hybrid attacks, interference in democratic processes and other hostile activity together. They are also discussing quantum technology, space and defence cooperation. The UK may seek Germany’s participation in the Global Combat Air Programme, which is led by Italy, Japan and the UK.

The treaty also points toward deeper political links. Burnham wants to hold the first joint UK-German cabinet meeting next year. Both leaders support bringing Britain closer to Europe, and Merz said Germany would do what it could to bring the UK closer to Europe and the European Union. The treaty thus combines history with future cooperation.

Key Facts:

📌 The Kensington Treaty was formally ratified by the UK and Germany in Berlin.

📌 It is the first UK-German treaty since the Second World War.

📌 The treaty targets hostile activity and interference in democratic processes.

📌 Hybrid attacks can include cyber attacks, sabotage or misinformation.

📌 Hybrid warfare falls somewhere between peace and war.

📌 The UK and Germany face hybrid attacks regularly.

📌 The countries will cooperate on quantum technology and space.