Posted on 07/18/2025 1:42:14 AM PDT by Cronos
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has accepted US accusations that Europe was doing too little to fund its own defence and security, but now believes they are on the same page.
"We know we have to do more on our own and we have been free-riders in the past," he told the BBC's Today Programme, "they're asking us to do more and we are doing more."
Merz was in the UK to boost defence ties with Germany, as part of a historic friendship treaty that also aims to tackle irregular migration and promote youth exchanges.
...Merz told Nick Robinson, in his first UK broadcast interview as chancellor, that he had now met Trump three times and they were on good speaking terms: "I think President Trump is on the same page; we are trying to bring this war to an end."
"We are on the phone once a week; we are co-ordinating our efforts. One issue is the war in Ukraine, and the second is our trade debates and tariffs."
.. "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," he warned
... "We are not strong enough, our army is not strong enough, so that's the reason why we are spending a lot of money," he said in his BBC interview
...Merz said the bilateral treaty renewed the two allies' commitment to defend each other - which is not just part of the Nato treaty but was also previously part of their alliance when the UK was in the EU.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
No s**t, buckwheat.
CC
We are going to regret re arming the Europeans.
However, we desperately need the revenues from arms sales to re build the damage Obama and Biden did to our military. .
>”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,
I am all for peace. I am all for freedom.
The political order of Europe does not seem to be for freedom, however.
We see suppression of freedom of speech regularly, and suppression of political parties with huge popular appeal. Why are we defending such via NATO?
Like we didn’t know this already?
BIG three (Germany, France, and UK) have big plans to deploy troops to Ukraine via air, sea, and land. pic.twitter.com/hjdwbj8foS— Alex Christoforou (@AXChristoforou) July 18, 2025
Whatever gave you that idea?
Fred Mertz will come out next week and say Germany should repatriate all those refugees…..
This is a modified limited hangout.
Excellent comment.
Riiiiight.
But no country in Western Europe has the money to do this.
And none is reinstituting conscription.
And Europe has been violating the energy sanctions from the start.
Can’t be too skeered of the Rooskies, can they...
We need western EU to give up nuclear weapon because in a few decades they will be muslin.
More dividends from Trump’s perfect meeting with Merz at the White House.
Considering what Europe is CLEARLY prioritizing (see below), any promises made regarding building up of their militaries are empty, and that is a good thing!
EUROPEAN PRIORITIES
1. Mass Immigration of uneducated/unskilled people, for the purpose of population replacement.
2. Net Zero carbon emissions, which will set their economies back to 19th century levels.
3. Trying to keep anything that looks like a government-run healthcare system, considering their aging European population and their huge number of immigrants pressing the system to its breaking point.
So, little room for starting another war against Russia, other than their big words.
Ya think?!!!!!
Europe picked a fight with Russia and wanted us to take up the fight and we didn’t.
Why do you suppose that is?
Just for reference, Russia has a GDP of 2.076 trillion US$ and a population of 146.1 million. The three named European powers have a combined GDP of 15.113 trillion US$ and population of 220.5 million.
Yeah, we’re going to ship out so much of our equipment we’ll probably end up customers of the German/UK joint program. Not a good deal for us at all. (Unless you specifically are an arms dealer.)
He's called 'Black Rock' Mertz for a reason.
“Russia is suffering a demographic crisis even worse than Germany + France + United Kingdom. But they aren’t rushing to import rapeugees.
Why do you suppose that is? Men run the country.
“Just for reference, Russia has a GDP of 2.076 trillion US$ and a population of 146.1 million. The three named European powers have a combined GDP of 15.113 trillion US$ and population of 220.5 million.”
...and yet Russia EASILY outproduces Europe in military hardware production, even given the past 3 years to try to catch up. And Russia also outproduces the ENTIRE WEST in hardware production for items used in Ukraine (and probably elsewhere, but I don’t have enough info on that).
Perhaps GNP shouldn’t be inflated by things like government handouts to invaders, gay studies classes, solar panels and offshore wind farms (and lawyers for the US). Perhaps there are other ways to measure GNP that should exclude non-productive (and, in the case of energy and invaders, counterproductive) activities that should be used, at least in the assessment as to whether it’s smart to start a war against another country.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.