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German Chancellor Angela Merkel addresses the European Parliament on Tuesday.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday backed French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in his call for a European army – a move that President Trump has called "insulting" as he urged the countries to fulfill their NATO commitments instead.
Merkel told lawmakers in the European Parliament in Strasbourg that "we have to work on the vision of a European forces." European security council.
The remarks were made with a mix of boos and cheers from lawmakers, with some British representatives crying "Rubbish! Rubbish! "
Merkel made the remarks after the idea was floated by Macron last week, when he said that Europe was "the main victim of Trump's decision to withdraw from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia.
"Macron said, according to the Wall Street Journal," We will not protect the Europeans unless we decide to have a true European army. He also grouped in the U.S. with the countries from which France needed protection.
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"We have to protect ourselves with respect to China, Russia and the United States of America," he said on French radio.
President Trump responded to this call, on Friday calling it "very insulting" and instead calling for European nations to meet their NATO defense commitments. He doubled down on his face when he made the reference to the French surrender to the Nazis in World War II.
Emmanuel Macron suggests building its own army to protect Europe against the U.S., China and Russia. But it was Germany in World Wars One & Two – How did it work for France? "He tweeted." They were starting to learn German in Paris before the U.S. came along. Pay for NATO or not! "
Trump has often complained about the U.S. by NATO obligations, noting that the U.S. has an enormous military budget, part of which is spent protecting allies abroad – including in Europe. In July, he complained, "We're protecting Germany, we're protecting France, we're protecting everybody, and we're paying a lot of money to protect."
NATO itself does not have a minimum budget, but members commit to spending a minimum of 2 percent of their gross domestic product. For 2018, the U.S. is spending 3.5 percent of its GDP on defense spending.
Meanwhile France is spending 1.81 percent, Germany is spending 1.24 percent and only a two percent commitment.
Merkel said recently that she is seeking to step down as chancellor in 2021.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
