Europe's Five Largest Military Powers Meet Ahead of Key NATO Summit
The leaders agreed to boost defence spending and coordinate on long-range weapons, air defence and artificial intelligence, officials said.
- On Wednesday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hosted France's President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Berlin for an E5 summit coordinating European defense efforts.
- The move to widen the format from E3 to E5 aims to strengthen NATO's European pillar amid Washington's gradual scaling-back of military assets and command structures across the continent.
- All involved countries committed to significantly boosting defense spending, "laying the foundation for a more balanced transatlantic partnership," Chancellor Merz said, while Meloni emphasized Europe must shoulder its security responsibilities.
- Coordinating support for Ukraine remains central ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara on 7-8 July, where leaders will discuss security guarantees and replacing American military capabilities.
- Friction persists with President Donald Trump, who has criticized European allies over support for his war in Iran, as US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced last week a six-month review of American force levels.
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Merz met with France, Great Britain, Poland and Italy in Berlin, revealing cracks within Europe.
Europe's leading heads of state and government are publishing a statement before the Nato Summit that will sound like music in Trump's ears. However, looking closely, it becomes clear that the five messages will not be enough to please the US President.
The spokespersons of the Foreign Ministry refuse to explain the reasons for the exclusion of the president of the government, while Moncloa diminishes its importance to its marginalization from this quote from the rest of the great powers of Europe. More information: Merz leaves Sánchez out of the meeting of the European hard core that will prepare in Berlin the NATO summit
Two weeks before the NATO summit in Ankara, France, Great Britain, Italy, Poland and Germany spoke out in favour of strengthening the alliance. At a joint press conference of the so-called E5 Group in Berlin, Federal Chancellor Merz said that the partners wanted to renew the alliance and strengthen its European pillars.
Friedrich Merz gathers Europe's most important heads of state and government – it's about the survival of NATO, but first of all the chancellor has to reassure his guests.
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