German chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he “deplores” Brexit as he signed a major cooperation deal between his country and Britain. At a press conference on Thursday alongside Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Merz said that countries should respond to the major challenges of our time “together”.

Friedrich Merz’s visit to the UK only a week after that of Emmanuel Macron symbolizes a return of the E3 format – France, Germany and the UK – as the driving force of European security.

Direct trains between London and Berlin could soon be a reality thanks to a new treaty between the UK and Germany. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer signed a ‘first of its kind’ treaty on Thursday.

“Millions of UK travellers to Germany will be able to use e-gates in the future thanks to a new agreement made between prime minister Keir Starmer and German chancellor Friedrich Merz today,” the Cabinet Office says.

Nigel Farage has taken aim at Sir Keir Starmer's new deal with Germany as part of the UK's "EU reset". The Reform UK leader referenced research which suggested Britain now aligned with Brussels in 21 areas, compared to four at the beginning of the year.

The German chancellor has followed Emmanuel Macron’s lead by criticising Brexit in front of Keir Starmer. Friedrich Merz labelled Brexit “deplorable” after he signed the first UK-Germany treaty since the Second World War.

Sir Keir Starmer and German leader Friedrich Merz signed the Kensington Treaty, the most significant UK-German co-operation deal since the Second World War. The treaty focuses on enhanced collaboration in migration, trade, and security, marking a notable improvement in Anglo-German relations.

The joint pledge aligns with Merz’s controversial push to extend the Anglo-French nuclear deterrent to the rest of Europe.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has accepted US accusations that Europe was doing too little to fund its own defence and security, but now believes they are on the same page. "We know we have to do more on our own and we have been free-riders in the past," he told the BBC's Today Programme, "they're asking us to do more and we are doing more."