From Nick Hopkins, Guardian:  Britain's standing as a leading military power with the ability to influence events beyond its own borders will be jeopardised if the country leaves the European Union, the German minister of defence has warned.

From David Cameron, Office of the Prime Minister:  It was with great sadness that l learned of Lady Thatcher’s death. We’ve lost a great leader, a great Prime Minister and a great Briton.

From David Cameron, Telegraph:  This week marks the completion of the 100th patrol by the Royal Navy’s Vanguard-class submarines, which carry our Trident nuclear missiles.

From Kitty Donaldson, Bloomberg:  Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne risks breaching a NATO agreement to keep U.K. defense spending at 2 percent of gross domestic product if he cuts the Ministry of Defence budget, a panel of lawmakers said.

From Editorial Board of the Washington Post:  On Friday, the national leaders of the E.U.’s 27 member states expressed “support for a comprehensive trade agreement” with the United States, citing its potential to create jobs in a continent still struggling with high unemployment and debt.

From Robert A. Manning, National Interest:  [C]onsidering the messy geopolitical landscape with few opportunities and no shortage of challenges, a successful new U.S.-EU accord could well end up as the signature foreign-policy achievement of Obama 2.0.

In November 1942 Winston Churchill famously said, “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end, but it is the end of the beginning.” For two years I have waited for Prime Minister Cameron to stand up and make a speech that establishes Britain’s Euro-Realist principles and gives the EU a wake-up call. At a time of immense change both in the EU and the world, Cameron this morning delivered that speech.

From NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence:  UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced yesterday that UK is determined to join the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence this year.