Germany: Merz rebukes Trump jab over defense at Baltic event
Key takeaways
- In a meeting with Baltic leaders, Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz played up Germany's defense spending.
- "Germany is doubling its defense budget within four years.
- "We will state this, with all due modesty, and we are doing so as the European Union's largest member state, bearing a responsibility within Europe," Merz said.
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In a meeting with Baltic leaders, Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz played up Germany's defense spending. It comes after new criticism from President Donald Trump that Germany is lagging behind other NATO allies.
https://p.dw.com/p/5GXTv German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said that Europe must become more independent of the USImage: dts-Agentur/picture alliance Advertisement German Chancellor Friedrich Merz played up German defense spending efforts at a meeting in Berlin with Baltic leaders on Friday, shortly after fresh criticism from US President Donald Trump on the issue.
"Germany is doubling its defense budget within four years. This is the greatest efforts we have ever made to strengthen our defense capabilities. In this respect, we have no reason to shy away from anyone," Merz told journalists.