The UK and France have revealed a series of agreements on nuclear deterrence and immigration management cooperation.
Xinhua Writers Zheng Bofei, Jin Jing
LONDON, July 11 (Xinhua) – British Prime Minister Stage, Stage and French President Emmanuel Macron revealed a series of agreements on Thursday, marking a deep upgrade of bilateral ties through coordinated nuclear deterrence and a new migration control scheme.
Nuclear Alliance
On the last day of Macron's three-day visit to the UK, the eugenics announced that two sides had signed the Northwood Declaration.
Speaking alongside Macron at the permanent joint headquarters, the Eugenics described the Northwood Declaration as “truly historic” and said they were responding to what both leaders described as an “extreme threat” to European security.
“From today, our enemies will know that an extreme threat to this continent will encourage responses from both of our nations,” he said.
Reflecting his view, Macron said, “The decision not to rule out adjustments to each deterrent is a message that partners and enemies must hear.”
“We can imagine the extreme threat situation in Europe not urging a prompt response on our part,” he added, saying the oversight committee would coordinate cooperation between the two parties.
US President Donald Trump's “sharing burdens at NATO and his overture questions to Russia have led to existential questions in Europe about Washington's commitment to helping to defend transatlantic relations and European allies,” Reuters reported Friday, saying the continent's major nuclear deterrence comes from the United States.
Last month, Macron, who called for Europe's independence from the US multiple times at the end of the NATO summit in The Hague, urged Trump to stop trade tensions as NATO members agreed to raise defense spending.
“We can't say that we have to spend more (in defense) among our allies… and we're fighting a trade war,” Macron said.
Since taking office, Trump has urged NATO members to increase defensive spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. This is something European countries, such as the views of Spain, Belgium and Slovak, find it difficult to achieve.
Immigration management
Priority and Macron have also announced a new “One In, One Out” scheme aimed at reducing the number of immigrants crossing the English Channel on small boats.
In the first half of 2025, illegal channel intersections surged beyond 20,000, up about 50% from the same period last year.
As part of the new plan, migrants arrive in the UK via small boats and are detained and returned to France. In exchange, the UK will accept another individual arriving via newly established, legal routes. Entrance is limited to those who meet strict eligibility criteria and have not previously attempted an illegal intersection.
“This is a groundbreaking pilot,” Starmer said. “This is a scheme aimed at breaking the model and making it clear that if you cross it on a small boat, you'll end up where you started.”
Macron admitted that stock migrations were placed in northern French cities like Curry and Dunkirk, saying “it's not a gift to these towns.”
Meanwhile, he denounced the continued surge in illegal crossings in Brexit, saying, “Many people in your country believed that Brexit would make it easier to control illegal immigration. But the truth is quite the opposite – the UK no longer has an immigration agreement with the EU, so there is no legal route after entry or re-mandation after someone crosses the channel.”
In response, Nigel Farage, a supporter of Brexit and reform UK leader, said, “Macron says they say the two countries are together, but the test will be one of many promises announced before it was declared a massive redrawn of the future.”
“There will be difficult issues on both sides to implement,” he added. ■
