German Chancellor Angela Merkel believes that the world should not take for granted the US desire for world leadership. The German leader said this in an interview with six European publications.
“We grew up with the strong realization that the US wants to be a world power. If the US now voluntarily decides to abandon this role, we will have to think carefully about it, ”Merkel quotes The Guardian.
The interview was published after reports of the US intention to withdraw parts of the military contingent from Germany. In this regard, according to Merkel, Berlin understands the need to increase budget expenditures for defense.
“We in Germany know that we should spend more on defense. In recent years, our expenses in this area have increased significantly, and we will continue to build up our military potential, ”said Merkel.
As for the American military presence on German territory, it is connected not only with the interests of NATO partners, but also with the USA itself, the head of government believes.
“American forces in Germany help protect not only Germany and the European part of NATO, but also US interests,” the chancellor emphasized.
Nevertheless, it is important for the FRG to remain committed to the transatlantic defense community and the US nuclear umbrella, the Merkel added.
- US Army personnel at the time of arrival at the port of Bremerhaven, Germany.
- AFP
- © Patrik Stollarz
"Cold shower"
As Alexander Kamkin, a leading researcher at the Center for German Studies at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, noted in an interview with RT, the statement made by Angela Merkel in an interview with European media shows a crisis in relations, distrust between Washington and Berlin.
“Trump has become a 'cold shower' for Europeans who are inclined towards a close Euro-Atlantic partnership, which implies Europe's dependence on the United States. Trump is implementing his strategy of isolationism, but at the same time he has not abandoned the idea of US dominance in a number of areas, ”the expert said.
- Donald Trump
- Reuters
- © Leah Millis
A similar point of view is shared by Konstantin Voronov, head of the sector of regional problems and conflicts at the European Political Studies Department of IMEMO RAS.
“A statement made by Angela Merkel speaks of an exacerbation of the contradictions between Washington and Berlin. There is serious tension in German-American relations across the entire spectrum of interactions - from politics to economics, ”the expert explained in an interview with RT.
Recall, earlier, US President Donald Trump announced plans to withdraw from Germany about half of the US military stationed in the country. Moreover, part of the military may be sent to Poland. This was stated by the head of the White House during a joint press conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda.
“We will significantly reduce our presence in Germany - to about 25 thousand troops. We had 52 thousand there, ”Trump said, explaining that Poland is one of the few countries fulfilling its budgetary obligations under NATO.
At the same time, the Federal Republic of Germany does not fulfill the obligations undertaken earlier to bring the level of defense spending to 2% of GDP, the American leader believes.
Note that not all NATO countries are in a hurry to meet the conditions to bring defense spending to 2% of national GDP. For example, Germany plans to bring military spending to 1.5% of GDP only by 2024, and to 2% only by 2031. This was previously reported on Twitter by German Minister of Defense Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer.
Zur sicherheitspolitischen Handlungsfähigkeit gehört eine einsatzbereite, umfassend ausgestattete Bundeswehr. Das beginnt mit der finanziellen Ausstattung: 1.5% bis 2024 & 2% bis 2031. Nicht, weil andere das fordern, sondern weil es in unserem eigenen Sicherheitsinteresse liegt.
- A. Kramp-Karrenbauer (@akk) November 7, 2019In addition to Berlin’s reluctance to increase defense spending, Washington’s joint German-Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project was an annoyance for Washington. The capacity of the two-string main will be 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
The US leadership is strongly opposed to the project. According to the head of the White House, Berlin should not increase imports of Russian gas.
“They (the Germans) spend billions of dollars on the purchase of Russian energy, and then it is assumed that we must protect them from Russia. It won’t work, ”Trump said.
History of contradictions
The fact that Europe should prepare for greater independence and independence from the United States, Angela Merkel said earlier. So, in a January 2020 interview with the Financial Times, the Chancellor announced that the EU was moving out of the focus of US attention, and this process is strategic in nature.
“US attention to the EU is weakening, no matter who holds the presidency,” Merkel said. - Ex-President Barack Obama has already talked about the "Asian Age", if you look from the point of view of the United States. It also means that Europe is no longer in the center of world events, so to speak, ”Merkel told reporters.
The politician called on the European Union to pursue a more independent policy, despite the fact that the transatlantic partnership has not lost its value.
- AFP
- © SAUL LOEB
However, the contradictions between Berlin and Washington have a long history. In 2007, German prosecutors issued warrants for the arrest of 13 people, who were allegedly CIA agents. The authorities of Germany suspected these people of kidnapping and causing grievous bodily harm to a German citizen of Lebanese descent, Khaled Masri. According to him, he was abducted in 2003 by CIA agents in Macedonia.
Masri subsequently managed to win a trial against the CIA at the ECHR (European Court of Human Rights) in Strasbourg.
This is not the only scandal that erupted in Europe due to the actions of American intelligence agencies. In 2013, the German government announced that it had received information about wiretapping by US intelligence agencies of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cell phone. Edward Snowden told reporters about the surveillance conducted by the NSA for foreign politicians. True, in 2015, the German Prosecutor General's Office closed the case of wiretapping the Chancellor, because the investigators were unable to gather the necessary evidence.
Against the backdrop of such scandals in German society, skepticism is growing in relation to the military-political partnership of the United States and Germany. Moreover, in Germany there are politicians who believe that the US military presence in the country is a direct continuation of the occupation, which began after the Second World War. This opinion, in particular, is shared by the deputy of the Bundestag from the party “Alternative for Germany” Waldemar Gerdt.
Dissatisfied with the American military presence in Germany and the politics of the left flank. As the leader of the Left Party faction in the Bundestag Dietmar Barch stated last year, the German government should discuss with the American side the withdrawal of US troops from the country.
- Bundestag
- Reuters
- © Axel Schmidt
According to Alexander Kamkin, this point of view is popular in Germany.
“Many Germans believe that the deployment of American troops in the country is an anachronism of the Cold War, a legacy of the occupation regime that operated after 1945. The preservation of American bases in Germany today is perplexing for many Germans. Moreover, the preservation of this military presence is a factor of instability in European-Russian relations, ”the expert explained.
Konstantin Voronov agrees with this assessment. According to the expert, dissatisfaction with US military dominance is a steady trend in Europe.
“But there are contradictions. Some Europeans would like to abandon the rudiments of the occupation period, while another seeks to maintain an American military presence in order not to invest in their own defense. There is a desire for parasitism in Europe, Trump has repeatedly said this, ”the expert recalled.
Comfort in exchange for independence
According to experts, the German chancellor is now trying to remind Washington that external partners should reckon with Europe. This opinion is shared by Alexander Kamkin.
“However, under the current conditions, the distribution of influence in the world is already going on between the USA and China, while Europe is destined for a slowly dying bonfire, which can still flare up, but under favorable conditions. Germany remains one of the technological, economic leaders of the G7, G20, but the role of Europe is slowly but surely decreasing in the global economy, ”the expert noted.
According to Konstantin Voronov, Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron are trying to push European elites to greater responsibility and activity, but it is not yet clear whether this effort will be successful.
“There are few words, serious economic and political changes and shifts are needed. Europe today is in a comfort zone, and therefore does not want to change anything. The countries of Europe do not want to make efforts for independence in the defense field from the USA, because the current situation is convenient for them, ”the expert summed up.