Britain agreed the most significant reset of defence and trade ties with the European Union since Brexit on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump’s upending of the global order pushed the two sides to move on from their acrimonious divorce.
Nearly nine years after it voted to leave the bloc, Britain reached a wide-ranging deal with the EU including a security and defence pact, fewer restrictions on British food exporters and visitors, and a contentious new fishing agreement. At the heart of the reset is a defence and security pact that will let Britain be part of any joint procurement and pave the way for British companies to take part in a 150 billion euro ($167 billion) programme to rearm Europe.
Read more…
Source: MSN News
Sign up for the Counter-IED Report Newsletter
The latest news and insights delivered right to your inbox
Related:
- European Defence Agency conducts first CBRN live agent training
March 13, 2025
The European Defence Agency (EDA) has conducted its first-ever chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) live agent training for specialised defence units. Hosted at the CBRN Test and Training Centre in Zemianske Kostoľany, Slovakia, the training took place from 2 to 7 March 2025, with participants from eight EU Member States facing scenarios on qualified ...
- Swiss man arrested over Geneva parcel bomb attacks
March 12, 2025
A 61-year-old Swiss man was arrested in Geneva on Wednesday morning in connection with the parcel bomb incidents. The arrest was part of a major police operation led by the Federal Office of Police (Fedpol) and the cantonal police, according to a press release from the Office of the Attorney General (OAG). “The man is strongly ...
- Ukraine agrees to proposal for ceasefire with Russia as US restores aid and intel sharing
March 11, 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that Ukraine had accepted a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the United States, following critical peace talks between US and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia. The ceasefire proposal accepted by Ukraine covers the entire front line of the fighting with Russia, not just the air and sea, Zelensky said after the ...
- UK: Discovery of World War Two bomb sparks street lockdown in Renfrew
March 11, 2025
The discovery of a Second World War bomb sparked the lockdown of a street in Renfrew on Tuesday afternoon. The Royal Navy’s explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) unit was called to an industrial premises on Meadowside Street at around 12.25pm. A cordon was erected around the area, closing off a nearby cycle path. The wartime munitions have ...
- Ukraine: At least one person killed in explosions near railway station in Frankivsk
March 11, 2025
According to the police of Ivano-Frankivsk region, 2 explosions occurred in the city near apartment buildings on Pryvokzalna Street. Three people were injured. The explosions were reported around 18:30. Ukrzaliznytsia reported that “the explosions in Ivano-Frankivsk, which were reported by Telegram channels, occurred outside the station. The sound of the explosion was only heard at the ...
- France: ‘Really huge’ unexploded WWII bomb found outside Paris halts Eurostar travel
March 7, 2025
Eurostar trains to London and all trains heading to northern France were brought to a halt Friday following the discovery of an unexploded World War II-era bomb on tracks leading to the nation’s busiest station. Paris police said that at 4 a.m. Friday morning, a WW2 bomb was discovered by workers along railway tracks in Saint ...
- UK: Man jailed after police find gunpowder and IED at Yorkshire property
March 5, 2025
West Yorkshire Police executed a warrant at a property connected to Paul Bruveris in Illingworth, where they discovered chemicals, explosives and electrical materials Bruveris was arrested when police attended his home address in Dene View, Luddenfoot, in December 2023. The 47-year-old was later charged with; possession of explosive substance for unlawful purpose (gunpowder); possession of explosive ...
- Europe faces return of landmines as defence against Putin
March 5, 2025
Britain and its European allies must urgently regain the ability to deploy landmines if they are to be able to counter the “terrifying” threat posed by Russia, experts have warned. Finland, a new member of Nato in the wake of the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine, announced in December that it was considering pulling out of the ...
- Lithuania’s departure from the Convention on Cluster Munition creates dangers for its population and global norms
March 5, 2025
Lithuania will formally withdraw from the Convention on Cluster Munitions, an unprecedented move with potentially profound consequences for the protection of civilians in Lithuania and elsewhere. This date ends the convention’s required six-month delay after Lithuania submitted its official intent to withdraw document in September 2024. Lithuania’s decision was designed to address its population’s understandably heightened ...
- Russia: ATACMS missile debris found, neutralized near Bryansk
March 4, 2025
The debris of an ATACMS missile has been found in a forest area in the town of Seltso in the Bryansk Region. It has been neutralized by bomb disposal specialists from the National Guard (Rosgvardia) and Defense Ministry. “The debris of a Western-made ATACMS missile was found in a forest area on the territory of the ...
- MAG receives £5.5m grant for Ukraine from Canadian government
March 4, 2025
MAG (Mines Advisory Group), the global landmine charity, is to receive a new grant of 10 million Canadian dollars (or £5.5m) to support its work in Ukraine until April 2026. The Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, announced a series of measures to support Ukraine while visiting Kyiv last week, including funding for humanitarian mine action. The ...
- Spain: The CBRN specialists train through the ‘Yprés’ and ‘Ánfora’ exercises
March 3, 2025
The Deployable Chemical Laboratory (LQD) and the SIBCRA Forensic Sampling Team (Sampling and Identification of Biological, Chemical, and Radiological Agents) of the CBRN Defense Regiment “Valencia” No. 1 participated in the “Yprés” and “Ánfora 25” exercises. Both exercises were designed by the CBRN Defense Department of INTA-Campus La Marañosa (San Martín de la Vega, Madrid) and ...
- Germany: Apparent vehicle ramming attack in Mannheim leaves at least 1 dead, multiple injuries
March 3, 2025
A vehicle drove into a crowd of people in the western German city of Mannheim on Monday, killing at least one person and leaving others seriously wounded, according to police. The city’s police force said an operation was ongoing in the area and urged people to avoid central Mannheim. The incident came as crowds gathered in ...
- Soldiers from Finland undergoing training at the Bondsteel NATO base
March 3, 2025
Specialized KFOR units from Finland, which deal with the identification, removal and destruction of explosive devices, had an exercise at the Bondsteel NATO base near Uroševac. Finnish EOD soldiers, assigned to the East Regional Command of the KFOR mission, recently conducted training at Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo, according to KFOR. “Ensuring that EOD Soldiers are well ...
- Russia: Terrorist planning to detonate IED in Moscow synagogue shot by FSB
March 3, 2025
A terrorist allegedly planning to detonate explosive devices in a Moscow Jewish site and metro station was killed in a shootout with the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, the security service announced on Monday. The Russian citizen reportedly shot at FSB officers when they attempted to arrest him, and was “neutralized” in return fire. ...
- Ireland: Investigation launched following discovery of imitation grenade in Clare town
March 2, 2025
The army bomb disposal unit was called to Shannon on Saturday evening after a suspected grenade was found in a car. A garda spokesperson confirmed gardaí attended following the discovery of a suspect device in a vehicle at Sli an Sionnaigh, Shannon, County Clare, on Saturday, March 1. “A cordon was put in place. The Irish ...
- UK to intensify support for Ukraine with £2.26 billion loan to bolster defences
March 1, 2025
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he will intensify efforts to support Ukraine with a £2.26 billion loan to bolster its defences. The announcement comes as European leaders are set to meet in London for a summit on Sunday to round off a week of intense diplomatic talks, including feisty discussions between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ...
- PKK declares ceasefire in 40-year conflict with Turkiye
March 1, 2025
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has declared it will implement a ceasefire with Turkiye, heeding a call from its jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan to disarm. The statement by the outlawed group, published by the pro-PKK Firat news agency (ANF) on Saturday, is seen as a major step towards ending a 40-year conflict with the Turkish state. ...
- Supporting Ukraine to build a mine-free future
March 1, 2025
Together with the government of the Netherlands and local partners, UNOPS is working to enhance Ukraine’s capacity to eliminate the threat of explosive ordnance. February 2025 – UNOPS procured and delivered a mechanical clearance machine for Ukraine’s State Special Transport Service (SSTS). Operated remotely, the machine protects the operator from exposure to explosives and increases the speed ...
- Greece: Police pelted with rocks and petrol bombs in protest over rail crash
February 28, 2025
Scores of youths have hurled rocks and petrol bombs at police in from of Greece’s parliament building during mass protests to mark the the second anniversary of a devastating train crash in northern Greece. Following hours of peaceful rallies in the Greek capital to mark two years since the Tempe rail disaster, youths with hammers smashed ...
- Russia claims Ukraine set 1M mines to bar advance in South
February 28, 2025
On February 28, 2025, Vladimir Rogov, chairman of the Commission on Sovereignty, Patriotic Projects, and Veteran Support within Russia’s Public Chamber claimed that Ukraine’s armed forces have laid over 1 million mines across a 20-kilometer stretch of the front line north of the villages of Rabotino and Verbove, near the Russian-held city of Orekhov in ...
- Ukraine needs almost US$30 billion for mine clearance
February 27, 2025
Ukraine requires US$29.8 billion to clear the war-affected areas of landmines and other explosive ordnance. Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy, citing an assessment by the Fourth Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA4) conducted by the World Bank, the government of Ukraine, the European Union and the United Nations. The Ministry of Economy has lowered the estimated cost ...

