Britain and Germany signed a landmark defence agreement on Wednesday and pledged to co-operate on exercises on NATO's eastern flank as they stressed the need for Europe to be able to defend itself given possible escalation in the war in Ukraine.

Britain and Germany have agreed to a significant military pact that will see the two allies work together on weapons projects and defense amid the growing threat Russia poses to the European continent.

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