Around 50 European leaders on Thursday called for a stronger defense posture across the continent that no longer necessitates a fundamental dependence on Washington.

Around 50 European leaders will be reassessing their trans-Atlantic relations in the hope that Donald Trump's second U.S. presidency will avoid the strife and political pitfalls of his first administration.

PARIS — France and Germany emphasized the need to keep up military spending and for unity on European security, including with the U.K., following a meeting between the two countries’ defense ministers in response to Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 U.S. presidential election.