European leaders line up Ukraine pledge before NATO summit
Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Poland pledged more support for Kyiv before NATO leaders meet in Ankara in July.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
Five major European powers said they plan to show firm backing for Ukraine at next month’s NATO summit, a signal aimed at Kyiv, Moscow and Washington as the alliance prepares to meet in Ankara. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Wednesday that the leaders wanted to send “a strong signal of support for Ukraine.”
Merz hosted French President Emmanuel Macron, outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Berlin for a meeting of the European Group of Five, known as the E5. The leaders also spoke by video link with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, according to Al Jazeera, AFP and DPA.
Merz said the message to Russia was that “Ukraine remains strong.” In a joint statement, the five leaders pledged to increase support for Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion, including through sanctions, economic pressure on Moscow and help for Ukraine’s energy sector.
The NATO summit is scheduled for July 7 and 8 in the Turkish capital. Al Jazeera reported that leaders from 32 countries are expected to attend, including United States President Donald Trump.
Merz said a successful meeting would reinforce ties across the Atlantic and bring European governments closer together. He also said he would brief Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after the Berlin talks.
Al Jazeera correspondent Dominic Kane, reporting from Berlin, said Merz appeared to be addressing both Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin by stressing that the E5 countries were ready to play their part in NATO. Kane also said the Berlin meeting carried forward themes from last week’s European Union summit, including a commitment by the five countries to raise defense spending in support of Ukraine.
The discussions came after Trump said at last week’s G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, that he would do whatever he could to end the war in Ukraine following what he called a “very good” meeting, Al Jazeera reported.
Hormuz mission also discussed
Macron and Meloni said European governments would use the NATO summit to show they were prepared for a military mission in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Al Jazeera. Both leaders said conditions would have to be met first.
Those conditions include the United States and Iran finalizing a memorandum of understanding, including provisions on nuclear inspectors and frozen assets, Al Jazeera reported. The agreement has led to a ceasefire, according to the report.
The Berlin meeting also included public praise for Starmer, who is leaving office after two years as British prime minister. Merz cited Starmer’s “team play,” Macron praised his “good strategic decisions,” and Meloni referred to “excellent cooperation,” according to Al Jazeera.
Tusk said Starmer’s commitment had helped Europe act as a united force again and said the leaders had “forgotten Brexit for a while,” Al Jazeera reported.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.