German Chancellor Friedrich Merz defended his country's rearmament policy on Friday, in response to criticism from the US president. Donald Trumpwho recently described Germany's past efforts in military spending as "ridiculous".
Just days before the NATO summit scheduled in Ankara, where allies will seek to demonstrate their unity despite transatlantic tensions, Friedrich Merz assured that Berlin was fully assuming its defense responsibilities.
"Germany is doubling its defense budget in four years. This is the biggest effort we have ever made to strengthen our defense capabilities. In this respect, we have no reason to shirk our responsibilities," the German Prime Minister told the press.
The Chancellor also emphasized that this commitment was in keeping with Germany's special role as the largest member state of the European Union. He stated that Berlin was acting "with humility," while assuming a greater responsibility for the security of the European continent.
This statement comes at a time when military spending is a central topic of discussion among members of the Atlantic Alliance. European leaders want to demonstrate that they are increasing their defense investments in order to respond to repeated demands from Washington and to strengthen their ability to deter any threat, particularly from Russia.
Donald Trump again criticized NATO allies this week on his Truth Social network, calling it "ridiculous" that the United States continues to bear such a large share of the Alliance's defense costs. These statements increase pressure on European countries on the eve of a summit considered crucial for NATO's future.
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