Before the NATO Summit Merkel wants to spend more money on defense
| Duration: 4 minutes
Committed to higher military spending: Chancellor Angela Merkel
Source : Getty Images / Sean Gallup
German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) Defends Significant Increase in the Defense Budget
It's "Equipment, Not Put To It" level, "she said in her weekly video message
about one percent of the gross domestic product for the defense.
M More money for the Bundeswehr: In her weekly video message, Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged to significantly increase defense spending. However, they did not allow them to achieve NATO objectives. "We also have good equipment for the many soldiers who work for our security," said the Chancellor
. She reaffirmed NATO's decision to ensure that by 2024, the 29 member states want to start. However, Germany will hardly be able to achieve this – according to estimates, defense spending of 42.9 billion euros (project 2019) is expected to reach nearly 80 billion euros. here 2024, given the expected evolution of GDP.
The chairman of the Munich Security Conference, Wolfgang Ischinger, criticized the federal government's defense spending in WELT as too weak. It can be argued for a long time whether NATO's goal is significant. "But the truth is, we accepted it as a goal, so it's unfortunate that it can not be accepted into the coalition." Without military influence, Europe, despite its economic size Politically insignificant, Ischinger insisted.
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At the NATO summit, it should still be a problem Giving US President Donald Trump. He said a few days ago in front of supporters: "I will tell NATO, you have to pay your bills, the United States will not take care of everything." The US president has criticized Germany as the biggest tower of the EU for defense purposes, while this figure for the US is 4%.
"Do you know Angela (…)"
Trump says looking at Merkel, "You know, Angela, (.. I do not know what protection we get by protecting you, and then they come out and do a case of gas, oil and gas from Russia, where they pay billions to billions of dollars to Russia, they want to be protected from Russia – and yet they pay billions of dollars to Russia. we are the idiots. "Germany is the largest foreign buyer of Russian natural gas.
The budget of Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) is expected to increase in 2019 by at least four billion to 42.9 billion euros. "Germany is then at 1.31 percent – not one percent, as recently affirmed Trump.
Merkel gets an entry to 1.5% by 2024, which would represent about 18 billion euros more for the German armed forces than expected. Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) expressed his skepticism on Friday in Berlin
Sensitive relations with Russia – but also "determination"
The Bundeswehr is now "geared towards equipment and not" towards rearmament "Merkel. At the same time, the development aid would be greatly increased. At the time of the Cold War, spending was still above the target of 2%, but significant savings were achieved, commented Angela Merkel in the video message
"We need the # NATO in the 21st century as guarantor for our security as a transatlantic alliance, "said Merkel, referring to the United States. Trump threatens again and again with consequences if countries like Germany no longer spend on defense and so relieve the United States in NATO.
The challenges have changed dramatically in recent years, for example after the annexation of Crimea by Russia, Merkel stressed. "This means that we are focusing more on Alliance defense and precautions," said Merkel, referring to her presence in Central and Eastern Europe. She stressed that the goal is, of course, a reasonable relationship with Russia. "But at the same time, as NATO, we must show determination to defend ourselves."
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The Transatlantic Coordinator from the federal government, Peter Beyer (CDU), stressed that NATO fears more and more that Trump reached an agreement on July 16 at the Helsinki summit. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin may be involved. "For one or the other, the mere fact of beading on his front, that Trump and Putin meet, with nothing with the NATO partners, is coordinated," he said. he told the media of the sparkling group.
Leyen wants more money – Merkel too
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Finance Minister Olaf Scholz today presents his budget to the Bundestag. In advance, there were already problems with the Minister of Defense, Ursula von der Leyen. She asks for more money for the troop.
