UK Opens Talks on Joining Canada-Led Global Defence Bank

The UK government has opened talks on joining the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank, a Canada-led proposed multilateral lender intended to provide cheaper financing for defence projects. Treasury officials said Chancellor John Healey is considering membership but stressed that no decision has been made. Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Latvia, Luxembourg, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine back the bank, while UK membership would require about £870 million over three years. A government spokesperson said Britain is coordinating with Canada so the bank and the Multilateral Defence Mechanism complement each other.