“We are committed to driving this forward, and that this should be the first item on the agenda at the NATO summit in a couple of weeks. The second key issue at the summit must be building a more European NATO,” he added.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who is set to meet Trump later on Wednesday, joined the leaders’ discussions via video call. He is expected to convey their message directly in a meeting that is likely to be a balancing act.
“We want more cooperation, both transatlantic and within Europe,” said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. “For us Germans, this stems from our history, our geography and our constitution. Our neighbors should feel safer when Germany grows stronger.”
The leaders pledged “a stronger European role within NATO with Europe taking greater responsibility for our shared transatlantic security,” and committed to increased European defense cooperation by, for example, stepping up joint efforts to develop and procure deep precision strike capabilities, as per a joint statement.
Trump has repeatedly criticized European allies for what he sees as insufficient support for the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, also known as Operation Epic Fury. But his recent turn on Ukraine also appears to have raised European leaders’ optimism.
“We are at a point in time when Europeans and Americans are growing closer again,” said French President Emmanuel Macron.