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.

The UK and Germany have agreed a friendship treaty aimed at resetting the countries' post-Brexit relations. The treaty comes nearly a decade after Britain's vote to leave the European Union.