British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz held a phone call on Monday to discuss ongoing peace efforts in Ukraine, defense spending, and security issues, according to an official statement released on Tuesday.

The discussion comes ahead of the G7 and NATO summits scheduled for later this month.

During the conversation, the leaders reflected on Merz's recent visit to Washington, D.C., and commented on U.S. President Donald Trump’s initiatives aimed at establishing a sustainable peace for Ukraine.

Both leaders expressed their support for strengthening NATO alliances, highlighting the necessity for an alliance that is 'fair, resilient, and equipped with the capabilities to address contemporary threats.'

In alignment with NATO’s ongoing strategies, Starmer and Merz emphasized the importance of increasing national resilience and improving funding to protect critical national infrastructure.

The leaders endorsed NATO’s recent proposals aimed at enhancing these efforts.

Additionally, they addressed the pressing issue of illegal migration, agreeing on the significance of collaborating to intercept migrant routes upstream.

They articulated the necessity of taking further action to dismantle the business models operated by smuggling networks, underscoring the coordinated approach needed to tackle this challenge effectively.