German Chancellor Admits Europe Has Been ‘Free-Riding’ on America for Security
Friedrich Merz, who vows to build Europe’s largest conventional army, says the continent is now doing more for its own defense.
Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, acknowledges in an interview what President Trump has long maintained, that Europe has been “free-riding” on the United States for its security.
Mr. Merz makes the admission during an interview with the BBC. He is in the U.K. to sign a friendship treaty with Prime Minister Starmer and boost defense ties.
“We know we have to do more on our own and we have been free-riders in the past,” Mr. Merz says.
“They’re asking us to do more and we are doing more,” he adds.
Mr. Trump and Vice President Vance have been blunt in demanding Europe pay more for its own defense.
“They pushed us,” Mr. Merz acknowledges, and adds that Germany and America are now on the same page in regard to defense spending. He says he has met Mr. Trump three times and they remain in regular contact.
“We are on the phone once a week,” Mr. Merz says. “We are coordinating our efforts. One issue is the war in Ukraine, and the second is our trade debates and tariffs and we are trying to come to results.”
Mr. Merz — who has been in power for 10 weeks — plans to raise Germany’s defense spending and has vowed to build Europe’s strongest conventional army. He has a stark warning about Russia.
“We are seeing a big threat, and the threat is Russia. And this threat is not only on Ukraine. It’s on our peace, on our freedom, on the political order of Europe,” Mr. Merz says.
Germany, the U.K., and France are developing an alliance of major European powers. It includes structured work on defense industrial projects and exports and mutual defense clauses on top of the NATO alliance.
The countries are collaborating on building fighter jets and armored vehicles and are designing a new long-range missile.
Mr. Merz says he understands why the Trump administration is calling on Europe to take care of itself.
“I have observed, for years, the Americans moving away from Europe and turning to Asia,” Mr. Merz says. “They are seeing themselves in a very hard competition with China and that is the reason why they are telling us, ‘Take care of your own,’ and we are doing it.”
