Idea of the new chancellor was repeated in Türkiye: “The force holds the aggression; weakness invites aggression”
After a season in the shadow during Olaf Scholz’s lead, Germany seems to want to climb the stop and be a stronger voice in European leadership.
And one of the aspects is the defense. That’s right: the new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, wants to make Bundeswehr in the “strongest army” in Europe.
One step to guarantee it is the support that the newly deposed has given the idea of the president of the United States regarding the contribution that each NATO country should be able to defend itself. Donald Trump, recall, pointed out the 5% of GDP as the ideal number. Friedrich Merz seems to be in agreement.
Speaking from an antalya meeting, Germany’s new Foreign Minister said Berlin will “follow” Donald Trump’s requirement to reach 5% expense.
It is recalled that this requirement is currently 2%, and no country reaches 5%-Germany was 2.12% in 2024, for example, while the United States spent 3.38%.
“We see [este pedido] As a clear United States commitment to article 5, ”said Johann Wadephul, referring to the point of the NATO Treaty that refers to the defense of other Member States.
Still, the German minister assured that the country wants to reach this goal through the proposals of NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who began to outline a 3.5% goal by 2032. A goal more consistent with reality, as Poland only exceeds it.
In addition, Mark Rutte’s idea included investment in infrastructure and cybersecurity, which gives NATO countries more amplitude to encompass expenses.
In the background, the proposal of the new secretary general of the Atlantic Alliance refers to situations such as building bridges to “build our cars, but also to, if necessary, that this bridge can withstand a tank.” “All these expenses can be taken into account,” he added.
“As far as the expense in defense is, we have to do much, much more,” Mark Rutte reiterated already in Antalya, where he has again warned that it will take only three to five years for Russia to be completely restored at the military.
It should be noted that Portugal is one of the few countries that does not meet the minimum goal of 2%, as they do not meet Spain or Italy. If the latter two pledged to get there in 2025, the government only announced that it provided for anticipating this goal of the 2029 currently established, even though it did not say when it is this anticipation.
Returning to Germany, Friedrich Merz seems to initiate the way of what he said is a “independence” from the United States, as US protection to Europe has been threatened since Donald Trump’s arrival.
Showing that it is committed to this same goal, the chancellor has managed to change the constitution even before taking office, making it possible for the expense in defense to increase. For sure it is not clear, but there is an agreement to modernize infrastructure and 500 billion euros allocated to it.
“[Devemos] Give all the financial resources to the Armed Forces of Germany, so that they could be the largest army in Europe, ”he said in his first speech as a chancellor in the German parliament later this Wednesday.
“Force holds aggression; weakness invites aggression,” finished Friedrich Merz in that same speech.
