Britain signed a military cooperation agreement with Germany on Friday, emphasizing London’s commitment to helping shield Europe from future security threats. The move comes at a time when negotiations over the UK’s exit from the EU are reaching a crunch. One of the British government’s strongest cards in the talks is the expectation that, as the EU country with the highest defense spending, it will continue to play a central role in European security after it leaves the bloc, Reuters said. “We will further strengthen the European pillar in NATO, contribute to European security and improve Europe’s resilience to security threats,” London and Berlin said in a document which did not mention Brexit. British Defense Minister Gavin Williamson and his German counterpart Ursula von der Leyen signed the agreement at a British army barracks in the western German town of Sennelager. The two states’ naval, land and air forces will “work closely together” and there will be cooperation in defense procurement.