Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli PM Office: Netanyahu has ordered that the Rafah crossing will not open until further notice.
Ambrey: Cameroon-flagged tanker issues distress call following explosion abroad, approximately 60NM south of Yemen's Ahwar.
Araghchi: Iran adopted a constructive approach in its engagement to ensure the European Union and the E3 fully honored their commitments and lifted all sanctions.
Araghchi: After a year of Iran’s full compliance with the agreement, it began implementing gradual, proportionate, and reversible compensatory steps in accordance with its recognized rights under the deal.
Araghchi: Iran demonstrated the utmost restraint in the face of repeated and fundamental violations and made extensive efforts to restore balance and preserve the agreement.
In his letter, Araghchi stated: The E3 failed to fulfill their obligations and instead imposed additional illegal sanctions on Iranian individuals and institutions.
Araghchi: These coercive measures constituted a grave violation of international law and the UN Charter, causing severe disruption in the implementation of the agreement.
Araghchi: Washington initially refrained from fulfilling its commitments, then withdrew from the agreement, reimposed its illegal and unilateral sanctions, and even expanded them.
Araghchi: UN Security Council Resolution 2231 has expired and fully ceased to be in effect as of today, in accordance with its explicit provisions.
Iranian Foreign Ministry: Reimposing sanctions on Iran is illegal

Scholz rejects Trump's bid to raise NATO defense spending to 5% of GDP

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 9 Jan 2025 19:43
4 Min Read

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius echoed Scholz's stance, describing the proposed 5% target as unrealistic.

Listen
  • x
  • German Chancellor Olaf Scholz gives a statement at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
    German Chancellor Olaf Scholz gives a statement at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has voiced his opposition to a suggestion from US President-elect Donald Trump that NATO countries increase their defense spending to 5% of GDP. Scholz argued that such a figure is excessive and deviates from the alliance's established framework.

In an interview with Focus Online, Scholz remarked, "That's a lot of money," adding that NATO already has "a very clear procedure" regarding member contributions. He highlighted that the current target for alliance members is set at 2% of GDP.

Breaking down the numbers, Scholz explained that meeting a 5% target would require Germany to allocate approximately €200 billion annually, a figure that dwarfs the country's current federal budget of €490 billion. "And that's why I think it's better to concentrate on the path that NATO has long agreed on," Scholz concluded.

While Scholz acknowledged the need for Germany to enhance its contributions to security, he emphasized that Berlin has already made significant progress. Over recent years, Germany has nearly doubled its annual defense spending to €80 billion. Following the start of the Ukraine war in 2022, the country also committed a one-time investment of €100 billion to modernize its military.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius echoed Scholz's stance, describing the proposed 5% target as unrealistic. "I don't know which country will be able to afford that," Pistorius said during a meeting at the Ramstein airbase in southern Germany. He noted that what matters is not percentages but NATO's ability to achieve its capability goals, stating, "It's not a question of percentages but rather how NATO's capability goals are defined and met."

Read more: UK leading NATO's eastern flank drills with 2,600 troops, 730 vehicles

Related News

Pete Hegseth's plan diverts to UK after onboard emergency

UK government passwords, NATO files leaked on darknet

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz on Wednesday expressed similar concerns, stating that while Germany plans to increase defense spending, he would not commit to the NATO defense spending target proposed by Trump.

"We first really have to reach the 2% lower limit in Germany. We are not there yet," Merz told Bayerischer Rundfunk.

German Recession

This comes as Germany faces its most brutal recession since WWII. A report published by the Handelsblatt Research Institute (HRI) on January 4 revealed that the German economy contracted by 0.3% in 2023, 0.2% in 2024, and 0.1% in 2025, marking the longest downturn since the post-war era.

HRI chief economist Bert Rurup described the crisis as Germany’s "greatest in post-war history," citing demographic challenges and an aging population that have reduced annual growth potential to 0.5%. Rising energy costs, driven by the loss of access to Russian gas and reliance on more expensive liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports, have severely impacted manufacturers and small businesses, leading to shutdowns and bankruptcies.

The Nord Stream pipeline destruction in 2022 and Russia's suspension of gas transit to the EU in January 2025 further strained Germany's energy supply. Former Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized the shift away from Russian gas, calling it a "win-win situation" that stabilized energy prices in the past.

Economic concerns now dominate public discourse, with polls identifying it as the top voter priority. These issues contributed to the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition government in November, prompting an early general election scheduled for February 23.

Read more: German opposition's chancellor candidate backs trade talks with Trump

  • Nato
  • Olaf Scholz
  • Germany
  • Nato Alliance
  • German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
  • Donald Trump

Most Read

Iran strikes secret Israeli-US bunker under Tel Aviv high-rise

Tel Aviv high-rise struck by Iran hid Site 81, secret US-Israeli base

  • Politics
  • 14 Oct 2025
Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jaafarawi in an undated image in Gaza, occupied Palestine (Social media)

Gaza Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jafarawi killed by collaborators

  • Politics
  • 12 Oct 2025
drop site

New report details extensive Israeli arson in Gaza after ceasefire

  • Politics
  • 13 Oct 2025
Illustration of fists breaking shackles, representing the liberation of Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons. (Illustrated by: AL Mayadeen English/Batoul Chamas)

4 prominent Palestinian detainees to be freed: Who are they?

  • Palestine
  • 13 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Iraqi religious leader Sheikh Jawad al-Khalisi on Al Mayadeen Plus, October 18, 2025 (Screengrab)
Politics

Most powerful decision-maker in Iraq is US: Sheikh Al-Khalisi

Flags of Iran, Russia, and China (IRNA)
Politics

Iran, Russia, China confirm: Iran nuclear issue out of UNSC

Member of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc Ali Fayyad speaks to Al Mayadeen, October 18, 2025 (Screengrab)
Politics

Hezbollah, allies will reject direct talks with 'Israel': MP Fayyad

The bodies of killed Palestinians held by "Israel" during the war are downloaded from Red Cross vehicles after their release, at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Oct. 15, 2025. (AP)
Politics

From rubble to graveyards, Gaza continues recovering its martyrs

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS