The United Kingdom and Germany have signed off on a bilateral defence pact, with an eye on countering the growing security threat from Russia, among others. The deal, sealed on Wednesday, sees Europe’s two largest spenders pledge to co-operate on exercises on NATO’s eastern flank amid concerns over a possible escalation of the war in Ukraine.

The two governments said they will coordinate more on defense, with British and German troops conducting joint military exercises on NATO’s eastern border.

Officials say German submarine-hunting planes will patrol the North Atlantic from a base in Scotland under a new Britain-Germany defense pact in response to the growing threat from Russia