The British government announced on Thursday the signing of a £400 million (€462 million) state contract with Google Cloud, as part of a project to exchange classified information with the United States, just days before US President Donald Trump is due to make an official visit to the country.
The investment in the American tech giant’s cloud services “will enhance the secure communications links between the United Kingdom and the United States, in addition to the extensive partnership already in place in the fields of intelligence and security,” according to a press release from the UK Ministry of Defence.
Under the agreement, British intelligence services and the Ministry of Defence will be able to use “the latest technologies developed by Google Cloud, particularly in artificial intelligence, data analysis and cybersecurity,” the statement added.
London stressed that the adoption of this secure technology “guarantees that critical Ministry of Defence data” will remain “under the direct control of the United Kingdom.”
The announcement came less than a week before President Trump’s planned visit to Britain on 17–18 September. According to the British press, he is expected to be accompanied by senior executives of major US technology and digital services firms.
This will mark the second official visit to the UK by the White House incumbent, alongside his wife Melania. No other US president has ever made two official visits to the country.
CNA
