Europe’s five most powerful NATO member states gathered in Berlin on Wednesday evening for top-level talks.
The meeting is taking place two weeks before the NATO summit in Türkiye.
Known collectively as the E5, the gathering was hosted by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, joined by French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
After the meeting Merz said, “If Germany becomes stronger our neighbors should feel more secure.”
He said, “That is why we want to firmly position Germany, its armed forces and its defense industry within the alliance and in Europe. We have our own deep interest in doing so.”
Macron stressed on improving US-Europe relations
Despite deteriorating relations with Washington and America’s European allies under President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron stressed the Europeans’ commitment to the trans-Atlantic partnership.
“We are committing with determination, we are increasing our budget, we are expanding our capacities,” Macron said on Wednesday.
He said it aims to strengthen deterrent capabilities through joint cooperation.
Macron also pointed to the unity shown between Europe and the United States at last week’s G7 summit in France.
“Essentially, I want to say that we are currently in a phase of rapprochement between Europeans and Americans.”
At the start of the summit, the E5 issued a joint statement saying they “reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to Euro-Atlantic security and the transatlantic bond.”
“We want to renew the alliance. We are strengthening its European pillar,” Merz said when the leaders delivered brief remarks before the group’s dinner.
The meeting comes as the US has strongly criticized NATO and European countries for their reluctance to support the US-Israeli war on Iran, with US President Donald Trump threatening to reduce US troops deployed in Europe.
support for ukraine
A joint E5 statement said the countries would “substantially support Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression, including through sanctions and economic pressure on Russia, as well as support for the resilience of Ukraine’s energy sector.”
Merz noted that after last week’s G7 summit, “across the Atlantic, we are more united than we have been in a long time.”
“We hope Moscow will draw conclusions from this. Now is the time to engage in peace talks,” he said.
“The message to Russia is: Ukraine remains strong,” Merz said at a joint press event in Berlin after the meeting.
The Chancellor said, “The German government proposes that we, as European NATO allies, give a strong financing commitment to Kiev” and stressed that “Europe’s support is not wavering.”
NATO chief visits White House
On Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited Washington for his third visit since Trump began his second term last year.
It comes after US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attacked allies while attending a meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
Rutte is expected to use Wednesday’s White House meeting to ease tensions between the US and European countries.
The NATO chief and Trump have a cordial relationship, which has previously helped Rutte ease US concerns and frustrations with the alliance.
Edited by: Wesley Rahn