Talks on joining EU defense initiative SAFE break down, says UK minister

LONDON

A UK minister on Friday confirmed that negotiations with the EU on Britain’s possible participation in the bloc’s joint defense procurement program SAFE have fallen apart due to a dispute over financial terms.

The two sides had been discussing a payment arrangement that would allow British defense companies to access a share of the loans provided under the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) scheme.

In a statement, Nick Thomas-Symonds, the minister responsible for EU relations, said it was "disappointing that we have not been able to conclude discussions" on the UK's involvement in the first round of bids.

"Negotiations were carried out in good faith, but our position was always clear: we will only sign agreements that are in the national interest and provide value for money," Thomas-Symonds was quoted by the BBC as saying.

According to the report, the European Commission suggested that talks could resume at a later date, noting that an agreement could not be found "at this time" as the UK had accepted it should pay a fee, but insisted it would not sign up to an agreement at any price.

The bloc’s SAFE scheme, announced in March, is part of a broader EU push to rebuild defense capabilities after the Russia-Ukraine war, with the European Commission set to borrow up to €150 billion ($173 billion) to provide long-duration loans to member states.

These loans will finance "urgent and large-scale procurement efforts, ensuring that Europe’s defense industry can deliver the necessary equipment when it is needed most."

The breakdown in talks comes as London and Brussels continue negotiations on a broader “reset” in relations under the UK-EU strategic partnership announced in May 2025 to ease post-Brexit friction.

Earlier today, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said at a joint news conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Berlin that the SAFE program should include key NATO partners like Türkiye and the UK.