The leaders of Europe’s five largest military powers met in Berlin on Wednesday and issued a joint declaration committing to accelerate the reinforcement of NATO’s European pillar, raise defence budgets, and present a coordinated position at the alliance’s summit in Ankara on 7–8 July. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, hosting the so-called E5 format, said the group wanted to “renew the Alliance” and was already implementing the spending targets agreed at last year’s Hague summit, which call for 3.5 per cent of GDP on core defence and a further 1.5 per cent on security-related infrastructure by 2035. Merz stated that Germany aimed to reach the 3.5 per cent mark by 2029.

According to the five-point statement, the leaders agreed to strengthen Europe’s role within NATO in close coordination with Washington, to enhance deterrence against what they described as the most direct threat from Russia, and to deepen industrial cooperation on air defence, unmanned systems, artificial intelligence and long-range precision strike capabilities. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Europe must “take its own responsibility for defence and security,” while French President Emmanuel Macron noted a “moment of renewed consensus between Europeans and Americans” after a G7 summit in Évian where President Trump struck a more conciliatory tone. The leaders also welcomed a US-Iran framework agreement and expressed readiness to contribute to maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz if conditions are defined.

The Berlin meeting was designed to project unity after months of transatlantic friction and intra-European strains. US officials have repeatedly questioned the value of NATO membership and threatened troop reductions in Europe, while Washington’s uncoordinated military action against Iran and demands for greater burden-sharing have unsettled allies. Within Europe, the collapse of the Franco-German FCAS fighter project has underscored the difficulty of joint defence industrial efforts. Moreover, the E3 grouping of Germany, France and Britain has drawn sharp criticism from Warsaw and Rome for excluding other allies from Ukraine diplomacy. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose country serves as the main logistics hub for Western military aid to Kyiv, insisted that “without Poland, without Scandinavian countries, without the Baltic countries, without Romania, it will be difficult to achieve anything” in future peace talks. Merz acknowledged the sensitivities, saying unilateral national actions in defence policy would be a mistake and that neighbours should feel safer as Germany rearmed.

The E5 leaders expressed support for military aid commitments to be formalised at the Ankara summit and for direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia with active US and European participation. The joint statement also backed the continuation of sanctions and economic pressure on Moscow. With outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expected to lead his country’s delegation in Ankara, the five governments now aim to use the summit to demonstrate that Europe is meeting Washington’s demands for increased defence investment while preserving alliance cohesion. The NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, joined the Berlin talks remotely from Washington ahead of his own meeting with President Trump, signalling the importance the alliance attaches to managing the transatlantic relationship as the summit approaches.