Sabine Siebold
ReutersTue, 17 Nov 2020 11:37 UTC
© REUTERS/Michele TantussiGerman Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer speaks during a ceremonial swearing-in of German armed forces Bundeswehr soldiers at the Bellevue Palace in Berlin, Germany, November 12, 2020.
Europe will not be able to provide for its own security without U.S. and NATO help for decades to come, Germany's defence minister said on Tuesday,
rejecting French President Emmanuel Macron's call for an independent European defence strategy.Macron made his appeal in an interview for the 'Revue Grand Continent' publication on Monday, saying the United States would only respect Europe as allies "if we have sovereignty regarding our defence".
"The idea of a strategic autonomy for Europe goes too far if it nurtures the illusion that we could ensure Europe's security, stability and prosperity without NATO and the U.S.," German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said.
It would takes decades for Europe to build up its conventional and nuclear military forces to compensate for what the United States and NATO currently contribute to the continent's security, she added."Germany and Europe cannot protect themselves without America's nuclear and conventional power. This is simply a fact," said Kramp-Karrenbauer, who repeated Berlin's pledge to take a stronger stance on defence.The United States provides 70% of crucial military capabilities such as surveillance, helicopters, air refuelling and satellite communications in NATO, the minister said.Washington also accounts for almost 100% of NATO's missile defences and the vast majority of its nuclear deterrence, she added. In Europe, Britain and France also have nuclear arsenals.
The differences between Germany and France, which are not new, are reemerging ahead of a meeting of EU foreign and defence ministers on Thursday and Friday.
Those discussions are expected to focus on how the EU can demonstrate to the incoming U.S. administration of President-elect Joe Biden that it is prepared to do more for its own defence.
President Donald Trump has regularly criticised European countries on the issue. Many, including Germany, do not currently meet the NATO target of spending 2% of national output on defence.
This woman says she wants her country to remain a US/Israel colony so that planes can have air refueling? Idiot and shill. All the Germans need to do--if the US ever allows them to stop being a colony--is keep their eyes and hands off the countries to the east of them. Most countries build and use their own satellites. Doesn't this old gal see that Germany could do that as well? (Of course she knows the score. She is just doing what the Washington neocons order her to do in speeches like this. It helps keep US taxpayer money flowing to the defense contractors.)