US EditionGermany Criticises France's Defence Spending Shortfall, Urges Europe to Step Up
Johann Wadephul calls on France to meet NATO’s 5% GDP defense spending target by 2035 amid budget deficits and waning US support for European security.
- On Monday, February 16, 2026, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul urged France to boost defence spending at the Munich Security Conference, saying progress toward the NATO pledge has been lacking.
- Facing a ballooning budget deficit, France, with almost twice the EU debt ceiling, seeks a €36bn defence boost while NATO pledged last June to reach 5% of GDP by 2035.
- Wadephul said `That is a call that goes out to all European countries` and `He repeatedly and correctly refers to our pursuit of European sovereignty,` urging France to act accordingly, as efforts in the French Republic are insufficient, he added.
- Paris was urged to consider difficult fiscal choices, including possible welfare cuts, to build the breathing space required for higher defence outlays, Wadephul said.
- Germany last year exempted most defence spending from debt limits, with budgets planning over €500 billion between 2025 and 2029 amid eurobonds debate and Franco-German relations strain.
15 Articles
15 Articles
France urgently needs to increase defense spending to make European self-sufficiency a reality, even if it comes at the expense of other spending, such as social spending, said German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadepoul stated for months that France should allocate more defence funds, even if this would entail a reduction of other types of costs.
Radio France Internationale
Modern GhanaGermany criticises France's defence spending shortfall, urges Europe to step up
Germany’s foreign minister has criticised France for not spending enough on defence, adding strain to the already tense relationship between the traditional European allies.
France must increase defense spending to turn warm words about European sovereignty into concrete capabilities, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Monday.
German foreign minister says French defense spending insufficient
Emmanuel Macron 'repeatedly and correctly refers to our pursuit of European sovereignty,' Johann Wadephul said in a radio interview. 'Anyone who talks about it needs to act accordingly in their own country.'
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