View source for Quint (international coalition)

{{Short description|Coalition of US, UK, France, Germany, Italy}}
[[File:Obama, Cameron, Merkel, Hollande and Renzi at Herrenhausen Palace.jpg|thumb|[[David Cameron]], [[Barack Obama]], [[Angela Merkel]], [[François Hollande]] and [[Matteo Renzi]] in 2016]]
The '''Quint''' is an informal decision-making group consisting of the [[United States]] and the [[Big Four (Western Europe)|Big Four of Western Europe]] (France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.academia.edu/3801512|title=The Quint: Acknowledging the Existence of a Big-Four – US Directoire at the Heart of the European Union's Foreign Policy Decision-Making Process|website=Academia.edu|accessdate=September 5, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-HlbZgdaa94C&q=NATO%20Quint&pg=PA323|title=Global Engagement: Cooperation and Security in the 21st Century|first=Janne|last=Nolan|date=December 1, 2010|publisher=Brookings Institution Press|isbn=978-0815716723|accessdate=September 5, 2016|via=Google Books}}</ref> All the countries forming it are allies and members of [[NATO]], the [[OECD]] and the [[Group of Seven|G7]]/[[G20]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xCDMdmercisC|title=Winning the War on War: The Decline of Armed Conflict Worldwide|first=Joshua S.|last=Goldstein|date=September 15, 2011|publisher=Penguin|isbn=9781101549087|accessdate=September 5, 2016|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MZkUDAAAQBAJ&q=US+France+UK+Germany+Italy+QUINT&pg=PA88|title = The Sovereignty Paradox: The Norms and Politics of International Statebuilding|isbn = 9780199207435|last1 = Zaum|first1 = Dominik|date = February 2007| publisher=OUP Oxford }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/texttrans/2013/06/20130614276418.html|title=White House Press Briefing, G8 Summit Preview - IIP Digital|website=Iipdigital.usembassy.gov|accessdate=September 5, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/04/25/readout-presidents-meeting-british-prime-minister-david-cameron-french| title = Readout of the President's Meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President François Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi {{!}} whitehouse.gov| date = 25 April 2016}} </ref>
The United States, France and the United Kingdom are [[nuclear-weapon states]], while Germany and Italy are part of the [[Nuclear sharing|nuclear weapons sharing program]].
==History==
The idea of a trilateral axis on foreign policy issues was proposed by French President [[Charles de Gaulle]] to his British and American counterparts (see [[Fouchet Plan]]). However, that plan was never implemented. Meetings with that goal took place around 1980 between the foreign ministers of these three countries and West Germany, although they were largely symbolic and led to no real decision.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Grtub61ScTgC|title=Supporting the Revolution: America, Democracy, and the End of the Cold War in Poland, 1981--1989|date=January 1, 2008|isbn=9780549385165|accessdate=September 5, 2016|via=Google Books}}</ref> The Quint in its current form seems to have begun as the [[Contact Group]] excluding Russia. Nowadays, Quint leaders discuss all major international topics participating in video conferences or meeting one another in various forums such as NATO, the [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|OSCE]], the G20<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/politique-etrangere-de-la-france/defense-et-securite/attentatsparis-serie-d-attaques-terroristes-a-paris-novembre-2015/article/sommet-du-g20-reunion-au-sommet-du-quint|title=Sommet du G20 : réunion au sommet du Quint|first=Ministère des Affaires étrangères et du Développement|last=international|website=Diplomatie.gouv.fr|accessdate=September 5, 2016}}</ref> and the [[United Nations|UN]]. The Quint meets also at ministerial and experts' level.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aY_SjFc6jNsC|title=European Foreign and Security Policy: States, Power, Institutions, and American Hegemony|first=Catherine|last=Gegout|date=May 8, 2010|publisher=University of Toronto Press|isbn=9781442698727|accessdate=September 5, 2016|via=Google Books}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2013/06/15/world/meast/syria-civil-war/|title=Obama discusses further Syrian intervention with European leaders|date=15 June 2013|work=CNN|accessdate=13 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.europaquotidiano.it/2014/07/28/telefonata-renzi-obama-merkel-cameron-hollande-su-gaza-ucraina-libia/|title=Telefonata Renzi-Obama-Merkel-Cameron-Hollande su Gaza, Ucraina, Libia|work=Europa Quotidiano|accessdate=13 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019110418/http://www.europaquotidiano.it/2014/07/28/telefonata-renzi-obama-merkel-cameron-hollande-su-gaza-ucraina-libia/|archive-date=19 October 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> Quint countries along with [[Russia]] and [[China]] participate together in global discussions  as in the [[Syrian peace process|Syrian]] case, they have joint statements and meetings as in  the case of [[Lebanon]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/lebanon/events/article/lebanon-ministerial-meeting-of-the-international-support-group-paris-08-12-17 |title=Lebanon – Ministerial meeting of the International Support Group (Paris, 08.12.17) - France-Diplomatie - Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères |access-date=2017-12-08 |archive-date=2018-07-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180706225310/https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/lebanon/events/article/lebanon-ministerial-meeting-of-the-international-support-group-paris-08-12-17 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.reuters.com/article/us-lebanon-election/big-power-grouping-urges-lebanon-to-uphold-policy-on-steering-clear-of-war-idUSKBN1IB2V4| title = Big power grouping urges Lebanon to uphold policy on steering clear of war| website = [[Reuters]]| date = 10 May 2018}} </ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://lb.china-embassy.org/eng/xwdt/t1440971.htm |title=Joint statement of the International Support Group for Lebanon Beirut, Lebanon |publisher=Lb.china-embassy.org |date= |accessdate=2021-11-21}}</ref>
==Current government leaders==
<gallery class="center" widths="150">
File:Emmanuel Macron (cropped).jpg|{{flagicon|FRA}} '''[[France]]'''<br />[[Emmanuel Macron]], [[President of France|President]]
File:Sánchez se reunió con el nuevo canciller alemán Olaf Scholz en La Moncloa 20220117 (8) (cropped).jpg|{{flagicon|GER}} '''[[Germany]]'''<br />[[Olaf Scholz]], [[Chancellor of Germany|Chancellor]]
File:Giorgia Meloni Official 2023 crop.jpg|{{flagicon|Italy}} '''[[Italy]]'''<br />[[Giorgia Meloni]], [[Prime Minister of Italy|Prime Minister]]
File:Prime_Minister_Sir_Keir_Starmer_Official_Portrait_(cropped).jpg|{{flagicon|UK}} '''[[United Kingdom]]'''<br />[[Keir Starmer]], [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]]
File:Joe Biden presidential portrait.jpg|{{flagicon|US}} '''[[United States]]'''<br />[[Joe Biden]], [[President of the United States|President]]
</gallery>
== See also ==
* [[Great power]]
* [[Power (international relations)]]
* [[Thermonuclear weapon]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Foreign relations of the United States]]
[[Category:Foreign relations of France]]
[[Category:Foreign relations of Germany]]
[[Category:Foreign relations of Italy]]
[[Category:Foreign relations of the United Kingdom]]
{{diplomacy-stub}}