Merkel Rebukes Macron With Spirited Defense of NATO Alliance

(Bloomberg) --

German Chancellor Angela Merkel made a spirited defense of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, saying Europe is currently too weak to defend itself without the support of the U.S.-led military alliance.

Merkel’s comments in a speech Wednesday to the Bundestag were clearly directed at French President Emmanuel Macron, who has cast doubt on NATO’s future by suggesting the 29-nation organization is “brain dead.” NATO heads of state are scheduled to meet in London Dec. 3-4.

“Even more than during the Cold War, maintaining NATO is today in our own best interest,” Merkel told lawmakers in the lower house of parliament in Berlin.

“Europe cannot currently defend itself alone, we are dependent on this trans-Atlantic alliance and that’s why it’s right for us to work for this alliance and take on more responsibility,” she said, adding that European ambitions for a larger defense role ought to be carried out within NATO.

Chinese Competition

The EU must develop a common policy vis-a-vis China, which offers a competing model, but not close itself off, Merkel said.

“But I don’t know whether the answer to systemic competition -- and we know about this from the Cold War -- should be isolation,” the chancellor told the Bundestag, the lower house of Germany’s parliament. “The answer to systemic competition must also be that we confidently assume we can set our standards without proclaiming total isolation.”

In response to domestic criticism over Germany’s arms exports, Merkel said that China and Russia shouldn’t be allowed to become the only weapons supplier to Africa. One couldn’t support those fighting terrorism and then tell them they need to find their own supply of weapons, she said.

Regarding the situation in northern Syria, any solution would have to include Russia and Turkey, Merkel said. Ankara is of strategic importance to NATO and should remain a member, she said.

Merkel reiterated a pledge to raise defense spending to 1.5% of gross domestic product by 2024 and toward a target agreed with NATO allies of 2% by the start of the 2030s.

©2019 Bloomberg L.P.