German Chancellor Friedrich Merz convened leaders from Britain, France, Italy and Poland in Berlin on Wednesday for a meeting of the European Group of Five. The chancellor said the group aims to display their backing for Ukraine during the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara in July. He noted that the gathering was meant to convey to Russia that Ukraine continues to hold firm. The five leaders issued a joint pledge to increase assistance for Ukraine’s defense, impose further sanctions on Russia, and support Ukraine’s energy sector. Merz also stated that a successful summit would strengthen ties between Europe and the United States. The meeting followed a videolink conversation with NATO’s chief.