European leaders meet in Berlin for E5 summit on NATO and Ukraine

On 24 June 2024 European leaders gathered in Berlin for the E5 summit, bringing together the heads of government of Italy (Giorgia Meloni), France (Emmanuel Macron), Germany (Friedrich Merz), Poland (Donald Tusk) and the United Kingdom (Keir Starmer), with NATO secretary‑general participation via video.

The agenda focused on preparations for the NATO summit in Ankara (7‑8 July), the war in Ukraine and the Middle‑East situation. Participants agreed to increase defence spending, accelerate delivery of air‑defence systems to Ukraine and expand sanctions on Russia.

Leaders also announced the creation of a “Coalition of the Willing” to guarantee security for Ukraine and to coordinate joint European defence projects, including missile‑defence and AI‑driven capabilities. The meeting underscored Europe’s intent to assume a larger role in NATO and to reduce reliance on the United States.