Europe's Five Biggest NATO Powers Pledge Greater Role in the Alliance

Defence ministers from Europe's five largest NATO members – France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Britain, meeting as the E5 group – agreed in Paris on Monday that they must take on greater responsibility within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, the Western military alliance). In a joint statement, they said Europe must shoulder a bigger share of the burden for its own security while keeping close coordination with the United States.

Message to Washington

The statement described the US as an indispensable ally and said continued American engagement in European security is essential to a strong and credible NATO. French minister Catherine Vautrin said the five countries would work towards "a stronger Europe within an equally stronger NATO" through a coordinated plan developed in "full transparency" with Washington. The next E5 meeting is set for Rome in March 2027.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also took part and called for continued modernisation of forces and capabilities. Poland was represented by Deputy Defence Minister Pawel Zalewski.

US troop reduction

In May, the Pentagon, the US Department of Defense, caught Europe off guard by announcing plans to withdraw around 5,000 troops from Germany, roughly 15 percent of the 36,000 stationed there. Washington said the withdrawal would take place over the following six to 12 months. Zalewski said he was confident any arrangement would be coordinated with allies so that no deterrence or capability gaps emerge.

Support for Ukraine

The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine but announced no new financial or operational assistance. Britain's Wes Streeting said the countries would stand with Ukraine "for as long as it takes" and warned of a Russian threat "of a kind we haven't seen since the end of the Cold War". He added that none of the countries seeks war with Russia and that they have no quarrel with the Russian people.