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E5 NATO leaders meet in Berlin to boost European defence
The foreign and defence ministers of Germany, France, Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom gathered in Berlin for an E5 summit ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara (7‑8 July). German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the group must avoid “dangerous solo actions” and called for a stronger, united NATO. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni added that “Europe must take its own responsibilities in defence and security”, emphasising protection of critical infrastructure, energy supply, cyber defences and border security.
The leaders pledged to raise defence budgets toward the 3.5 % of GDP target agreed at the 2025 NATO summit in The Hague and to deepen European defence‑industry cooperation, especially in air defence, unmanned systems, AI and long‑range precision strike. They reaffirmed unconditional support for Ukraine, including continued military aid, sanctions on Russia and energy‑resilience measures. The meeting also addressed broader security concerns such as the Iran‑US memorandum, the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz and the need for a coordinated response to Russian aggression.
The joint declaration set out five priority areas – a stronger European pillar in NATO, enhanced deterrence, deeper industrial collaboration, sustained aid to Ukraine and engagement on the Iran memorandum – as the E5 prepares to present a unified stance at the upcoming NATO summit.