Friday 10th December 2021
NATO target so far missed
Scholz wants to spend more money on the military
NATO countries have to spend two percent of their economic output on defense. Chancellor Scholz wants to at least approach this obligation. He declares that he will continue to increase expenditure according to the “possibilities” available to him.
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz has given NATO the prospect of higher German military spending. German defense spending has recently increased “in a way that has not been the case for many years,” said Scholz after a meeting with Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the end of his inaugural trip to Brussels. “That is something that we will continue according to the possibilities we have,” emphasized the SPD politician.
The NATO member states have committed to spending two percent of their economic output on defense. This goal is not expressly found in the coalition agreement between the SPD, Greens and FDP. Nevertheless, the government will “of course do everything to ensure that we equip the Bundeswehr well,” emphasized Scholz.
The Norwegian Stoltenberg said that he and Scholz knew from their previous positions as finance ministers “how difficult it is to find money”. In the coalition agreement, however, there is a clear commitment to comply with NATO commitments. “That’s why I’m looking forward to increased defense spending by Germany,” emphasized Stoltenberg.
The main topic of the meeting was the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The NATO Secretary General again rejected the Russian demand to put the prospect of accession for Ukraine and Georgia aside. “The 30 NATO allies and Ukraine itself, no one else, decide on relations with Ukraine,” Stoltenberg clarified. The Russian striving for great power is not acceptable.