Australia and the United Kingdom are on the verge of signing a 50-year treaty to strengthen the AUKUS alliance even as it is under review by the United States.
Some in the Trump administration have cast doubt over the future of the three-nation pact, however the treaty between Australia and the UK is set to shore up the agreement.
“This historic treaty confirms our AUKUS commitment for the next half century,” UK Defence Secretary John Healey said today.
Australia and the United Kingdom are on the verge of signing a 50-year treaty to strengthen the AUKUS alliance. (Australian Defence Force via Get)
The treaty is set to be signed during Healey and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s current visit to Australia.
“Our new bilateral AUKUS treaty is an embodiment of… safeguarding a free and open Indo-Pacific whilst catalysing growth for both our countries,” Lammy said.
It comes as part of an effort from Australia and the United Kingdom to shore up AUKUS amid conflicting views on the pact within the United States.
US under-secretary of defence Elbridge Colby, who is leading the review into the pact, has expressed scepticism about AUKUS in the past.
The Trump administration is reviewing AUKUS. (AP)
However, Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles believes the global geopolitical situation requires allies to strengthen their bonds and collaboration.
“We are living at a time where in the Indo-Pacific or in the North Atlantic, the world is volatile, there is great power contest,” he said.
“We’ve got ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and in the Middle East, and this is a time where we’re really grateful for the closeness of the personal relationships but the significance that we have in the bilateral relationship.”
“It really now means that our bilateral relationship is right up there as among the most important, if not the most important, that we have in the world.”