Berlin – At the E5 summit held at the Federal Chancellery on Wednesday, the heads of state and government of Germany, Italy, France, Poland, and the United Kingdom demonstrated a show of unity regarding their stance toward Ukraine and Russia. Two weeks before the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Friedrich Merz, Giorgia Meloni, Emmanuel Macron, Donald Tusk, and Keir Starmer agreed on a joint statement committing to higher defense spending, increased pressure on Moscow, and continued support for Kyiv. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte joined the meeting via video link from Washington, where he met with U.S. President Donald Trump.
A Stronger European Pillar in NATO
The meeting focused on the five countries„ commitment to taking on more responsibility for their own security. In their statement, they reaffirmed their commitment to Euro-Atlantic security and the transatlantic alliance, while also recognizing the continued crucial role of the United States within the alliance. The goal is “a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO”: The Europeans want to shoulder a greater share of the burden of collective defense while coordinating closely with Washington.
Specifically, the five countries want to expand their defense cooperation—for example, in the areas of air defense, unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, and long-range weapon systems. They aim to accelerate the development and joint procurement of European precision weapons for long ranges. They also welcomed the progress made on the investment commitments previously agreed upon at the NATO summit in The Hague. The situation in the Middle East was also discussed: The five countries welcomed a memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran, but emphasized that Tehran must never be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons and underscored the importance of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Support for Ukraine
On the issue of Ukraine, the E5 pledged to significantly expand their assistance to the country under attack—through arms deliveries, new sanctions, and economic pressure on Russia, as well as support for safeguarding Ukraine’s energy supply. New commitments for military aid are to be formalized at the NATO summit in Ankara. Cooperation with Kyiv is to be deepened through Alliance instruments such as the Joint Analysis, Training, and Education Center (JATEC) and the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) mission.
The five reaffirmed their goal of bringing Ukraine closer to NATO and called for a just and lasting peace settlement—accompanied by direct dialogue between Kyiv and Moscow, in which the U.S. and Europe should actively participate. Italy wants to help Ukraine primarily with the protection of critical infrastructure and energy resilience, Meloni said; President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had recently highlighted this area as crucial at the G7 summit and the European Council. The Italian government had already previously supported Kyiv promised further support.
The Embassies in the Five Capitals
Host Merz summarized the meeting in several key messages: The goal is to have a strong, united NATO, to strengthen the European pillar, and to increase defense spending—Germany is aiming for 3.5 percent of GDP, and other countries are also investing heavily. Going it alone is the wrong approach; closer cooperation within the European defense industry is necessary. Addressing Moscow, the chancellor emphasized that European support for Kyiv remains unwavering.
Meloni called on Europe to take decisive action in building a stronger and more robust component of the alliance. However, peace would only be possible if the West continued to support Ukraine until a just and lasting solution was within reach. Macron noted that, for the first time in 18 months, the G7 nations had issued a joint statement on military aid for Kyiv and sanctions against Russia—which he viewed as an important signal. Tusk emphasized that the five nations intended to preserve transatlantic and European unity with an eye toward possible negotiations and to do everything possible to protect the eastern flank.
Starmer called the alliance the strongest in history and urged that Ukraine’s new momentum on the battlefield be capitalized on. Russia is slowly losing ground, and its economy is feeling the consequences; now is the time to increase the pressure with further sanctions and more military aid. The outgoing British prime minister announced that he would present a plan for additional defense investments before the summit in Ankara.
A Look at Ankara
The next NATO summit will take place on July 7 and 8 in Ankara under Turkey’s chairmanship; the E5 intend to work together to ensure its success. According to sources within the alliance, the final declaration could provide for a military aid package for Ukraine of approximately 70 billion dollars per year over several years. This would include $30 billion annually from an EU loan for 2026 and 2027, with the remainder to come from „fresh funds.“ However, many details—including a burden-sharing mechanism—remain to be worked out, and the final text could still change.
War as a backdrop
The summit took place against the backdrop of a tense situation on the front lines. According to the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), Russian forces are increasingly losing control of Crimea’s airspace: Among the targets hit were the Saki and Gvardeiskoye military airfields, as well as S-400 and Panzir air defense systems near Kerch. According to Ukrainian reports, a power outage occurred in Sevastopol.
At the same time, Ukrainian drone attacks on refineries are putting pressure on Russia’s fuel supply. According to industry sources, the Moscow refinery will be out of operation for at least half a year; Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin spoke of unprecedented damage. Authorities in about 20 Russian regions have introduced rationing of gasoline and diesel. Moscow remained unyielding: Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov rejected a ceasefire along the front line, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that, at present, nuclear deterrence alone is preventing the world from sliding into a global war.
