European NATO powers pledge greater defence role, reaffirm US alliance

Paris talks aim for 'a stronger Europe within an equally stronger NATO' as Washington prepares to cut troops in Germany

By LineZotpaper AI staff

Published27 October 2026

Read Time2 min

Defence ministers from France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Britain said on Monday that Europe must assume greater responsibility for its own security within NATO, while reaffirming the United States as an 'indispensable Ally'. The five, meeting in Paris, also committed to supporting Ukraine 'for as long as it takes'.

Defence ministers from France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Britain, the E5 group, said after talks in Paris on Monday that 'Europe must assume greater responsibility for its own security' and shoulder a greater burden within the alliance. In a statement, they said: 'We are determined to work in close coordination with the United States and all Allies in order to implement this concrete ambition. 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 minister Catherine Vautrin said the five countries had agreed to work towards 'a stronger Europe within an equally stronger NATO' through a coordinated plan developed in 'full transparency' with Washington. She said the next meeting of the E5 group would take place in Rome in March 2027. European foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who took part in the meeting, said: 'We must continue to modernise our forces and capabilities to build a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO.'

Poland's minister was represented by his deputy, Pawel Zalewski. On US plans to reduce its military presence in Europe, Zalewski said he was confident any agreement would be coordinated with allies so there were no deterrence or 'capability gaps'. In May, the Pentagon announced plans to withdraw around 5,000 troops from Germany, roughly 15 percent of the 36,000 stationed there, and said the withdrawal would take place over the next six to 12 months.

The E5 defence ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine, though they did not announce any new financial or operational assistance. 'We will be with Ukraine for as long as it takes,' Britain's Wes Streeting said, warning of a Russian threat 'of a kind we haven't seen since the end of the Cold War'. 'none of us seek war with Russia. And we certainly have no quarrel with the Russian people,' he added.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

The E5 pledge signals Europe's largest military powers are preparing to take on more of NATO's burden at a time when Washington has announced a reduction of about 5,000 troops in Germany, a shift in the alliance's force posture.
The ministers' insistence on close coordination with the United States suggests they want to manage that transition without weakening deterrence, with implications for NATO's eastern flank and the wider European security order.
The reaffirmed commitment to Ukraine, made without new assistance pledges, leaves open how allied support will evolve; the next E5 meeting in Rome in March 2027 will be an early test.

Background

The E5 grouping brings together the defence ministers of Europe's five main NATO military powers to coordinate security policy. Monday's talks followed a May announcement by the Pentagon that it planned to withdraw around 5,000 troops from Germany, roughly 15 percent of the 36,000 stationed there, a move the report said caught Europe off guard. The meeting also comes as NATO allies continue to respond to Russia's war in Ukraine and face sustained pressure to increase their own defence efforts.

Key Perspectives

E5 defence ministers: say Europe must assume greater responsibility for its own security and that the United States is and will remain an 'indispensable Ally'. Catherine Vautrin, French minister: says the five agreed to work towards 'a stronger Europe within an equally stronger NATO' in full transparency with Washington. Kaja Kallas, EU foreign policy chief: says Europe must 'continue to modernise our forces and capabilities to build a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO'. Pawel Zalewski, Polish deputy minister: says he is confident any US troop reduction will be coordinated with allies to avoid deterrence or 'capability gaps'. Wes Streeting, Britain: says 'We will be with Ukraine for as long as it takes', warning of a Russian threat 'of a kind we haven't seen since the end of the Cold War' but insisting 'none of us seek war with Russia'.

What to Watch

Whether the Pentagon's troop withdrawal from Germany, announced in May, is carried out in coordination with allies and whether any 'capability gaps' appear.
Whether the E5's pledge on Ukraine translates into new financial or operational assistance, after none was announced on Monday.
The next E5 meeting in Rome in March 2027 and any concrete commitments on modernising forces and burden-sharing that emerge from it.

Sources

Europe's top NATO powers pledge greater defence role, reaffirm US alliance · France 24 Europe

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11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.

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SupportedEuropean NATO powers pledged a greater defence role and reaffirmed the US alliance.France 24 Europe: “Europe's five main NATO members said Monday they were prepared to assume "greater responsibility" within the alliance while continuing to view the United States as an "indispensable ally".”
SupportedThe Paris talks aimed for “a stronger Europe within an equally stronger NATO”.France 24 Europe: “Catherine Vautrin said the five countries had agreed to work towards "a stronger Europe within an equally stronger NATO"”
SupportedWashington was preparing to cut troops in Germany.France 24 Europe: “In May, the Pentagon caught Europe off guard by announcing plans to withdraw around 5,000 troops from Germany”
SupportedOn Monday, the five countries’ defence ministers said Europe must assume greater responsibility for its own security and the United States would remain an indispensable ally.France 24 Europe: “Defence ministers from France , Germany , Italy , Poland and Britain (the E5 group) said after talks in Paris that "Europe must assume greater responsibility for its own security"”
Partly supportedThe five countries committed to supporting Ukraine “for as long as it takes”.France 24 Europe: “The E5 defence ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine , though they did not announce any new financial or operational assistance. "We will be with Ukraine for as long as it takes," Britain 's Wes Streeting said”
SupportedThe ministers’ statement said the United States was and would remain an indispensable ally, and that its continued engagement was essential to NATO.France 24 Europe: “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.”
SupportedCatherine Vautrin said the five would pursue the plan in “full transparency” with Washington.France 24 Europe: “through a coordinated plan developed in "full transparency" with Washington.”
SupportedKaja Kallas said, “We must continue to modernise our forces and capabilities to build a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO.”France 24 Europe: “"We must continue to modernise our forces and capabilities to build a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO."”
SupportedThe Pentagon planned to withdraw around 5,000 troops from Germany, roughly 15 percent of the 36,000 stationed there, over the next six to 12 months.France 24 Europe: “announcing plans to withdraw around 5,000 troops from Germany, roughly 15 percent of the 36,000 stationed there. Washington said at the time this withdrawal would take place over the next six to 12 months.”
SupportedWes Streeting said, “We will be 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”.France 24 Europe: “"We will be with Ukraine for as long as it takes," Britain's Wes Streeting said, warning of a Russian threat "of a kind we haven't seen since the end of the Cold War ".”
SupportedStreeting said, “none of us seek war with Russia. And we certainly have no quarrel with the Russian people”.France 24 Europe: “But "none of us seek war with Russia . And we certainly have no quarrel with the Russian people," he added.”