Germany and the UK: ever closer bilateralism?

German-UK relations have undergone various phases since 1945 that were primarily shaped by the status and choices of both states, framed by proceeding EU integration. The paper argues that the German post-Brexit approach towards the UK exposes more continuities than changes to prior relations. In the first phase of European integration, West Germany - as only partially sovereign state - saw European integration as key means to regain authority. In parallel, regarding European defence, Germany and the UK shared the clear transatlantic perspective and NATO. The German-EU perspective changed with the end of the cold war and German reunification, which moved the German core interest in the EU to market policies - with a close interest overlap with the UK. During this period, which was the base of a perceived close alliance in EU economic preferences between Germany and the UK. Brexit shattered the German perception of the UK being an ally core EU policies turned into irritation — and the worry that this „irrational“ move by the UK would threaten the common market. While the massive irritation and concern over Germany’s core interest in the EU (a functioning common market) explains the rigid „EU-first“ approach during the Brexit negotiations, it also explains why this position is increasingly being relaxed post-Brexit with a return to common interests in defence, above all.