# Europe's 'E5' pledge 5% defence spending and a Hormuz naval mission, without Spain
> Merz, Macron, Meloni, Starmer and Tusk meet in Berlin to harden NATO's European pillar before Ankara, sidelining Madrid over the 5% target

**Meta:** type: story · date: 2026-06-25 · heads: 谁说了算, 战争究竟如何收场 · 2 takes · 2 lenses · 2 regions

## Summary

Germany's [Friedrich Merz](/zh/entity/friedrich-merz) hosted [Emmanuel Macron](/zh/entity/emmanuel-macron), [Giorgia Meloni](/zh/entity/giorgia-meloni), [Keir Starmer](/zh/entity/keir-starmer) and [Donald Tusk](/zh/entity/donald-tusk) in Berlin, where the five agreed to push national defence spending toward 5% of GDP and to back a [NATO](/zh/entity/nato) naval mission to keep the [Strait of Hormuz](/zh/entity/strait-of-hormuz) open. They reaffirmed support for [Ukraine](/zh/entity/ukraine) and the Iran ceasefire ahead of the July 7-8 [Ankara summit](/zh/n/nato-ankara-summit-prep). [Spain](/zh/entity/spain) was pointedly excluded, with Madrid's refusal to commit to 5% cited as the reason, the latest sign of a two-speed Europe on defence. Merz also voiced regret at Starmer's looming departure from office.

## Why it matters

The "E5" format concentrates Europe's defence direction in five capitals and marginalises holdouts like Spain, hardening the bloc's military core before Ankara. The Hormuz mission would mark a European naval commitment east of Suez, tying the continent's spending pledge to a live Gulf chokepoint.

## What to watch

- Whether the 5% pledge survives contact with national budgets and Spain's objections.
- The mandate and force composition of any European Hormuz naval mission.
- How the E5 line lands at the full [Ankara summit](/zh/n/nato-ankara-summit-prep).

## Regional takes (batched by bias / lens)

### Spanish digital daily
- **El Español** (Spain, es) — Reports the five leaders agreeing in Berlin to lift defence spending toward 5% and to back a naval mission to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, framing Spain's exclusion as a rebuke of Sanchez's refusal to meet the target.
  > "The five committed to raising defence spending to 5% and to a naval mission to keep Hormuz open, while Spain was left out of the high-level gathering."
  Source: https://www.elespanol.com/mundo/europa/20260625/merz-macron-meloni-starmer-tusk-pactan-reforzar-pilar-europeo-otan-minicumbre-sin-sanchez/1003744298712_0.html

### unlabelled
- **Infobae** (Argentina, es) — 
  Source: https://www.infobae.com/america/agencias/2026/06/24/merz-macron-meloni-y-tusk-agradecen-a-starmer-su-compromiso-con-la-seguridad-de-europa/

## Across the graph
- Related: [[merz-e5-berlin-nato-gipfel-2026]], [[nato-ankara-summit-prep]], [[macron-meloni-antibes-defence-roadmap-2026-06-25]], [[merz-iran-hormuz-bundeswehr-2026]]
- Entities: Friedrich Merz, Emmanuel Macron, Giorgia Meloni, Keir Starmer, Donald Tusk, NATO, European Union, Spain

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Canonical: https://rbtfl.xyz/zh/n/e5-berlin-five-percent-hormuz-2026-06-25