The leaders of Germany, France, Italy, Britain, and Poland met in Berlin on Wednesday to deliver a unified message ahead...

The leaders of Germany, France, Italy, Britain, and Poland met in Berlin on Wednesday to deliver a unified message ahead of the NATO Summit in Ankara: Russia remains Europe's primary threat, and the alliance's European pillar must be strengthened significantly. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who called the meeting, outlined five priorities the group wants the Ankara summit to address. First among them is a commitment to a strong, unified NATO. Second is raising European defense spending to 3.5% of GDP. Merz was direct that unilateral national defense moves would be a mistake, and that deeper transatlantic and European cooperation is the only path forward. On Ukraine, Merz proposed that European NATO allies commit to a strong funding pledge at Ankara to signal to Moscow that European support is not fading. He also called on Russia to begin peace negotiations, saying the time has come. French President Emmanuel Macron highlighted that for the first time in 18 months, all G7 members signed a joint statement supporting Ukraine's territorial integrity, including the United States. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pushed for new sanctions on Russia to press the military advantage in favor of Ukraine, while also backing a stronger European NATO that operates in full coordination with Washington. Italian PM Giorgia Meloni stressed that every nation bears responsibility for protecting its own borders, and that support for Kyiv must continue until a just and legitimate peace is achievable. All five leaders also addressed Iran, welcoming the US-Iran framework agreement and signaling openness to supporting follow-on negotiations. Meloni and Macron both noted the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz for European trade, with Italy already expressing readiness to contribute to security operations there once conditions are right. The NATO Summit in Ankara begins later this week. #NATO #Europe #Ukraine