German Chancellor Angela Merkel talks to soldiers from the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force after an exercise in Munster, Germany, on Monday. Photo: dpa via AP
Reuters: Merkel promises to meet defense spending target amid U.S. criticism
STRALSUND, Germany (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday she was taking Berlin’s commitment toward its NATO allies seriously to further increase defense spending toward the agreed target.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized Germany’s failure to raise defense spending to 2% of economic output as mandated by the NATO military alliance.
The U.S. ambassador to Germany said last Friday that Berlin’s reluctance to spend more money on defense and its continued reliance on U.S. troops for protection were “offensive”.
Speaking at a panel discussion organized by Ostsee Zeitung local newspaper in the Baltic Sea town of Stralsund, Merkel said she took seriously the 2% defense spending target, adding: “We said we want to achieve 1.5% by 2024. And that is our common will.”
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WNU Editor: German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be retiring from public life soon. She is making promises that she cannot keep.
