German defence minister Johann Wadephul says French president Macron needs to make ‘difficult decisions’ and to ‘act accordingly’ to meet NATO spending targets
In a radio interview with broadcaster Deutschlandfunk this morning, Germany’s foreign minister Johann Wadephul suggested that France needs to boost its defence spending.
“He repeatedly and correctly refers to our pursuit of European sovereignty,” Wadephul said of French President Emmanuel Macron. “Anyone who talks about it needs to act accordingly in their own country.”
Despite Nato member states last year committing to spend 5% of GDP on defence and security by 2035, Wadephul said progress has been too slow.
“Unfortunately, efforts in the French Republic have also been insufficient to achieve this so far,” Wadephul said. “France, too, needs to do what we are doing here with difficult discussions.”
