UK vows no break in commitment to Europe’s security

By Ayhan Simsek

MUNICH (AA) - Britain's defense secretary has pledged continued U.K. support for European security after Brexit is carried out.

“While the U.K. is leaving the European Union, I want to start by saying, our commitment to European security remains steadfast,” Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson said at the opening session of the Munich Security Conference.

He underlined that Britain would further enhance bilateral cooperation with Germany and other European partners in areas including security and defense.

Addressing the same session at the conference, German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said Berlin and London have already agreed to deepen their security partnership after Brexit.

“We signed our joint vision statement in October in Germany. And I am looking forward to our meeting in Oxford at the end of the next month,” she said.

The U.K., the biggest spender on defense within the European Union, is set to leave the 28-member bloc at the end of next month.

Some 35 heads of state and government, 80 foreign and defense ministers, and hundreds of security policy experts are attending the three-day annual conference in Germany, including Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar.