Five European NATO powers pledge a larger security role and reaffirm US ties

France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the UK pledged to assume greater responsibility for European security while reaffirming the United States’ role as an indispensable ally. The five countries’ defense officials met at the French Defense Ministry in Paris on Oct.

26, 2026, and issued a joint statement setting out their position on Europe’s role in NATO and its security priorities. The statement’s central proposal is to increase European allies’ capacity and responsibility within NATO. It presents a stronger European role alongside continued US participation, rather than as a replacement for the alliance with Washington.

The five governments thus paired a call for greater European responsibility with an explicit endorsement of the United States as an indispensable ally. The account published by CNBC TV18 describes a draft statement that characterises Russia as the most acute long-term threat to continental security.

It cites Russia’s war against Ukraine, alleged breaches of allied airspace, sabotage and increasing hybrid attacks across multiple domains. These are the E5 statement’s stated grounds for its security assessment; the material does not separately establish the responsibility for each cited incident.

The draft also commits the five countries to continuing support for Ukraine against Russian military actions. It highlights efforts to counter Russia’s shadow fleet and its continuing violations of European airspace. Those commitments connect the proposed increase in Europe’s NATO role to both support for Ukraine and the security concerns identified in the statement.

The immediate backdrop in the Turkish outlet’s account is uncertainty over Washington’s plans to reduce its military presence in Europe. That context makes the E5’s dual message consequential: the five governments call for Europe to assume more responsibility, while publicly reaffirming the US alliance.

The account does not specify the scale or timing of any proposed US reduction. German Chancellor Merz had made a related argument in a Bloomberg Television interview on Oct. 19, saying Europe should treat the threat more seriously, strengthen its defenses and lessen its dependence on the United States while continuing to support Ukraine.

His remarks align with the draft’s call for a stronger European contribution, although the joint statement also stresses the continuing importance of the US alliance. The E5 group’s next meeting is scheduled to take place in Rome in March 2027.

That gathering will provide a further occasion for the five countries to discuss their shared security agenda; the reported statement identifies the direction of policy but does not detail specific new capabilities, spending commitments or implementation steps.