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Europe's five major NATO powers pledged Monday to take "greater responsibility" for their security while reaffirming the United States' role as an "indispensable ally," amid uncertainty over Washington's plans to reduce its military presence on the continent.
Defense ministers from France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Britain, collectively known as the E5 group, made the commitment following talks in Paris, emphasizing the need for Europe to shoulder a greater share of the alliance's defense responsibilities.
"Europe must assume greater responsibility for its own security," the ministers said in a joint statement.
"We are determined to work in close coordination with the United States and all Allies in order to implement this concrete ambition," they added.
The ministers also stressed that Washington's continued involvement remains crucial to NATO's effectiveness.
"The United States is and will remain an indispensable Ally, and continued United States engagement in European security is essential to a strong and credible NATO."
French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin said the five countries had agreed to pursue "a stronger Europe within an equally stronger NATO" through a coordinated plan developed in "full transparency" with Washington.
She also announced that the E5 group's next meeting would take place in Rome in March 2027.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who attended the meeting, echoed the call for stronger European defense capabilities.
"We must continue to modernise our forces and capabilities to build a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO," Kallas said.
Poland was represented at the meeting by Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski, who addressed concerns over Washington's plans to reduce its military footprint in Europe.
Zalewski expressed confidence that any troop withdrawal agreement would be coordinated with NATO allies to prevent gaps in military capabilities or deterrence.
In May, the Pentagon surprised European allies by announcing plans to withdraw approximately 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany, representing roughly 15% of the 36,000 American personnel stationed there.
Washington said at the time that the withdrawal would take place over the following six to 12 months.
The E5 defense ministers also reiterated their commitment to supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia, although the meeting produced no announcements of additional financial or military assistance.
"We will be with Ukraine for as long as it takes," British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said, warning that Europe faces a Russian threat "of a kind we haven't seen since the end of the Cold War."
However, Streeting stressed that European NATO members were not seeking a direct military confrontation with Moscow.
"None of us seek war with Russia. And we certainly have no quarrel with the Russian people," he added.
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