Germany accepts Trump's request - Supports US call for increased NATO military spending
Germany has backed US President Donald Trump's call to double NATO's spending target to 5% of GDP. "We are following Trump in this direction and see this as a clear commitment by the United States to Article 5 ," said Germany's new Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, referring to the military alliance's mutual defense pact.
Wadephul, who took office early last week as part of a new Conservative-led government, spoke at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in the Turkish city of Antalya, where defense spending was at the top of the agenda.
NATO's current target for defense spending is 2% of GDP, a target that is currently met or exceeded by 22 of its 32 members. But many alliance leaders say that target is now too low, as they see Russia as a much greater threat after its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
With six weeks left before NATO leaders hold a summit in The Hague, member countries are scrambling to meet Trump's demands, aiming to prevent a repeat of past threats by the US president to withdraw from the alliance or reduce US commitment.
NATO chief Mark Rutte has proposed a two-pronged approach to meeting Trump's call for 5%, suggesting that allies spend 3.5% of their GDP on defense and devote another 1.5% to broader security-related issues, such as infrastructure and cybersecurity.
This meeting was the first opportunity for foreign ministers to discuss the proposal. The 2025 NATO summit will be held in the Netherlands on June 24-25.
Rama: Europe wants us by its side! - What did the continent's leaders discuss at the European Political Community Summit?
The capital of Albania, Tirana, has welcomed the sixth summit of the European Political Community. Prime Minister Edi Rama, at the round table discussion......
BYD opens first factory in Europe Chinese electric car giant lands in Hungary
Chinese electric car giant BYD will soon open its first European factory in southern Hungary, with plans to produce electric and hybrid vehicles starting in......
Trump "controls" Biden's decisions - $15 billion in energy funds will be reviewed by the new administration
The Trump administration announced it will conduct an audit of nearly $15 billion in grants. The grants were awarded for power grid and manufacturing supply......
How much money was distributed for the investment scheme? - Low disbursement continues this year
The disbursement of funds for the new agricultural investment scheme launched at the end of last year has not progressed as expected. Referring to the......
Solar energy license “boom” - 11 approvals in 4 months, projects positioned in Fier Region
The year 2025 has started with a high number of licenses for the production of energy from the sun. According to official data from the Energy Regulatory......
US, 179 billion euro deal with the United Arab Emirates - Trump's trip to the Persian Gulf secured 1.3 trillion euros in investments
The White House announced that US President Donald Trump secured 179 billion euros in deals with the United Arab Emirates during the last stop of his trip to......
Average personal tax rates in Europe: Which countries saw the biggest increases in 2024?
Workers pay not only income tax but also social security contributions. Together, these two components make up the average personal tax rate, expressed as a......
Birth bonus, only 1 million euros are given - 3-month period/ Falling birth rate, 4 million euros remain "stock"
Only 1 million euros have been distributed to babies born in the first 3 months of this year in Albania. Official data from the Ministry of Finance show......
