German president arrives in UK on landmark state visit

LONDON (AFP) — German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrived in London on Wednesday for the start of a state visit, the first by the official German head of state in 27 years.

The three-day trip, which includes a Windsor Castle state banquet and a speech to Parliament, takes place as a deepening security alliance has helped rebuild London-Berlin ties that frayed in the turbulent post-Brexit years.

Steinmeier will meet Prime Minister Keir Starmer later Wednesday for talks focusing on joint support for Ukraine in the war with Russia, the driving theme of closer co-operation between London and Berlin.

Steinmeier is reciprocating a 2023 state visit by King Charles III to Germany, his first as monarch.

His plane landed around mid-morning at London’s Heathrow Airport on Wednesday.

The plane was parked and military personnel flanked a red carpet, but for over 30 minutes there was no sign of the German president.

Eventually he descended from the plane after the arrival of the heir to the throne, Prince William and his wife, Catherine.

A source in Steinmeier’s office said the visit reflects “a new era in relations between our two countries.”

After a post-Brexit period in which “Great Britain distanced itself from Europe … we now have the impression that they are moving back,” the source said.

Steinmeier was foreign minister when the Brexit referendum occurred and had choice words back then for the “irresponsible politicians” who “lured” Britain into leaving the EU.

However, ties across the English Channel improved under Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and the trend has continued under his center-left Labour successor Keir Starmer.

The visit comes as both the German and British governments face pressure from hard-right, anti-immigration parties — the Alternative for Germany or AfD and the Reform UK Party led by Nigel Farage.

‘Apprehension’

Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the political turmoil unleashed by the Trump administration have led key European powers to forge closer ties, including World War I and II-era foes Germany and Britain.

In October 2024, western Europe’s two biggest military spenders signed a defense pact, followed by their first “friendship treaty” in July.

“The core of the relationship is in the security and foreign policy field,” said Nicolai von Ondarza from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.

But despite closer ties, Ondarza told AFP, “the U.K. is still much less present in German political debate than it has been in the past.”

While there is room for the U.K. to move closer to its neighbors, he said, in Berlin “there is an apprehension that the current Labour government won’t be courageous enough to move further on cooperation with the EU,” as Farage rises in the polls.

The friendship treaty also included agreements on preventing irregular migration and promoting cultural and educational exchanges.

Bombed cathedral

Historical remembrance will feature prominently in Steinmeier’s visit, which on Friday takes him to Coventry, a city devastated by German air raids in World War II.

Steinmeier will lay a wreath at the city’s cathedral, joined by members of the Luftwaffe and British servicemen to underline the countries’ current military ties.

He will then travel to Oxford to receive an honorary doctorate and visit a subsidiary of German industrial giant Siemens.

Representatives from Siemens and several other heavyweight German companies such as BMW, Deutsche Bank and RWE will participate in Steinmeier’s delegation.

Mercedes is set to announce a 20 million pounds ($26.4 million) electric vehicle technology project expected to create 150 jobs in the U.K.

The countries’ shared passion for soccer will be reflected on Thursday when German stars Per Mertesacker and Kai Havertz join Steinmeier to visit a London school.

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By MARTIN POLLARD with JASTINDER KHERA in Berlin, Agence France-Presse