Italy joins E5 pledge to strengthen NATO as Trump tensions deepen

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stood with the leaders of Germany, France, Britain and Poland in Berlin on Wednesday to reaffirm commitment to a stronger European defence partnership ahead of next month's NATO summit in Ankara. The so-called E5 group met to coordinate a joint position before the alliance convenes, according to Politico Europe, with the leaders calling for Ukraine aid to rank high on the agenda. The move represents a marked shift in Meloni's stance toward the United States, marking a departure from her earlier positioning as Donald Trump's closest European ally.

The coordination comes as Trump has publicly attacked Meloni over disputed claims about Italy's military contributions, according to the Daily Beast. The American president, in a Truth Social tirade, blasted Meloni for refusing to allow Italy to be drawn into what he characterised as his defence agenda. Politico Europe reported that Trump's America First agenda was always bound to clash with Meloni given Italy's low defence spending relative to GDP and its trade surplus with the United States—structural tensions that have now surfaced publicly.

Meloni's repositioning reflects broader European frustration with Trump's demands for higher military spending and his selective approach to NATO commitments. France 24 reported that the Italian leader met French President Emmanuel Macron on the French Riviera on Thursday, where she described Trump's attacks as "constant and unprovoked." The E5 coordination signals that Europe's largest economies are moving to present a unified front on defence spending and Ukraine support, independent of American pressure.