Strategic unity now depends on European responsibility.
Berlin, June 2026
The leaders of Germany, France, Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom met in Berlin to coordinate their positions ahead of the NATO summit scheduled for July 7 and 8 in Ankara. Hosted by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the E5 meeting brought together Emmanuel Macron, Giorgia Meloni, Donald Tusk and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a moment of growing uncertainty over Ukraine, Russia and the future role of the United States in European security. Their central objective was to present a more cohesive European position while strengthening the continent’s military contribution within the Atlantic Alliance.
The E5 format was initially established in 2024 as a platform for the defence ministers of Europe’s largest military powers, measured through their capabilities and investment levels. It was designed to coordinate support for Ukraine, facilitate joint defence projects and prepare for a gradual reduction of the American military presence in Europe. The Berlin summit elevated that mechanism to the level of heads of government, reflecting the increasing political importance of military coordination among the continent’s most influential NATO members.
The leaders attempted to preserve the momentum generated during the recent Group of Seven summit in Évian, where Western governments demonstrated renewed unity around military assistance for Ukraine and greater pressure on Russia to participate seriously in peace negotiations. Macron described the sequence of meetings as part of a continuous diplomatic process connecting the G7, the European Council, the NATO summit and the Coalition of the Willing. European governments hope that this succession of forums can transform declarations of support into credible security commitments and operational planning.
The political situation in Britain introduced an additional layer of uncertainty after Starmer announced his resignation under pressure from the Labour Party following damaging local election results. His departure matters because London has played a leading role in European security discussions and has jointly directed the Coalition of the Willing with France. The initiative seeks to provide Ukraine with military commitments and security guarantees that could form part of a future peace agreement, but the continuity of British policy will depend on the priorities of Starmer’s successor.
Germany has consequently positioned itself to assume a broader leadership role by becoming a copresident of the coalition. Merz’s government could gain greater influence if political instability in London weakens Britain’s ability to maintain its current commitments. Berlin’s growing prominence also reflects Germany’s effort to overcome its traditional caution in defence policy and become a more decisive actor in the design of Europe’s security architecture.
The expansion from the E3 format of Germany, France and Britain to the wider E5 grouping followed criticism from Italy and Poland, which had been excluded from earlier discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Including Warsaw is especially significant because Poland serves as a critical logistical hub for the movement of Western military assistance into Ukraine. Supporters of the E5 argue that any security arrangement or peace settlement involving Kyiv would be incomplete without Polish participation, even as tensions between Poland and Ukraine create an increasingly difficult diplomatic background.
The narrower E3 nevertheless retains strategic advantages because Britain and France possess nuclear deterrents, advanced intelligence networks and long-range strike capabilities that remain unmatched by other European partners. This has created a tension between military efficiency and political inclusiveness. The E5 seeks to bridge that divide by preserving the operational strength of the three principal military powers while incorporating countries whose geography, industrial capacity and political weight are essential to sustained European defence.
The Ankara summit will also take place amid renewed transatlantic friction. Washington has been reviewing the scale of its military deployment in Europe, including conventional forces and strategic enablers such as logistics, command structures and infrastructure. These assets have long allowed NATO to deploy and sustain combat power across the continent, meaning that their reduction would require European governments to replace capabilities that cannot be built quickly or cheaply.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte participated in the Berlin discussions by videoconference as European leaders attempted to preserve both continental unity and the broader transatlantic relationship. Tusk stressed that the E5 countries intended to safeguard European cohesion without weakening NATO’s connection with the United States. That balance is increasingly difficult because European autonomy cannot be interpreted as a rupture with Washington, yet continued dependence on American forces is becoming strategically and politically unsustainable.
Merz said the five governments had committed themselves to significantly increasing defence expenditure as the foundation for a more balanced transatlantic partnership. Their priorities include long-range weapons, air defence, military readiness and the application of artificial intelligence to security operations. These areas reveal that the debate is no longer limited to meeting NATO spending targets, but now involves the industrial, technological and command capabilities required for Europe to defend itself under more demanding conditions.
Meloni reinforced that position by declaring that Europe must accept greater responsibility for its own security while building a stronger European component within NATO. The Berlin meeting therefore represented more than a display of unity before another summit. It signalled that Europe’s largest military powers are preparing for a structural redistribution of responsibility inside the Alliance, one in which the United States remains essential but is no longer expected to carry most of the strategic burden.
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