Russia is the most serious long-term threat to Euro-Atlantic security, the defense ministers of France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Britain said Monday, as they pledged to keep supporting Ukraine.
The five, who meet as the Group of Five or E5, also pressed for Europe to carry more of its own defense burden. “Europe must assume greater responsibility for its own security,” they wrote in a joint statement (released by Britain’s Ministry of Defence).
That shift, in their view, starts inside NATO, with European allies taking a bigger role.
The ministers listed Russia’s war in Ukraine, repeated breaches of allied airspace, sabotage and a growing use of hybrid attacks. None of it has split the allies, the statement said. If anything, it has made them more determined to defend allied territory from threats in every direction.
Washington remains central to that plan. The ministers called the U.S. an indispensable ally and said its continued engagement in Europe is essential to a strong and credible NATO.
They said work is already underway on commitments made in The Hague and reiterated in Ankara, and on meeting agreed capability targets. The countries plan to take more political and military leadership in the alliance and modernize their forces. They also want closer cooperation among defense industries, based on common, standardized requirements.
Other pledges include more spending on readiness and resilience, new capabilities that match NATO priorities and a more proactive approach to deterrence.
NATO stays the cornerstone of their security, the ministers said, but they welcomed the European Union’s help in getting countries ready. They called the EU’s regulatory and financial power a valuable tool. Still, they said, EU defense efforts should complement NATO rather than duplicate it, and stay open, under certain conditions, to allies outside the bloc.
Support for Ukraine will continue on political, military and financial fronts, according to the statement. The ministers said Ukraine’s ability to defend itself, now and later, is critical to Euro-Atlantic security.
They also promised to keep targeting Russia’s shadow fleet, within international law and alongside partners.
The ministers said they back Ukraine’s push for a lasting peace with strong security guarantees. Once a cease-fire or peace deal is in place, the Coalition of the Willing will help provide those guarantees, the statement said.
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