Germany: About that defense spending increase we promised…

Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine and all of the NATO allies rushed to begin helping Zelensky, it was once again pointed out that some European Union countries still weren’t spending very much on their defense budgets. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stepped up and boldly declared that there would be a Zeitenwende (sea change) in his nation’s approach to defense spending. He promised to increase those spending levels to 2% of Germany’s economic output, as his nation had previously been asked to do during the Trump administration. That sounded great (or at least better) at the time, but today he reversed course. His spokesperson said that they weren’t going to make it to two percent this year and it’s unlikely they will meet that goal next year either. But it’s “possible” they might manage it in 2025. (Politico)Read More