Is Europe Boosting Defense Spending?

REUTERS/Danilo Krstanovic

Kaitlin Lavinder, Cipher Brief: Europe Is Boosting Defense Spending – And It’s Not All About Trump

America’s commitment to European security is up in the air under the Trump Administration, raising the question, will Europeans have to take more responsibility for their own defense?

Europe must “take our fate into our own hands,” said German Chancellor Angela Merkel after President Donald Trump’s visit to Europe last month.

Trump, at a NATO heads of state meeting on May 25, noticeably did not reaffirm America’s commitment to Article 5, NATO’s collective defense clause that says an attack on one is an attack on all. His cozying up to Russian President Vladimir Putin and allegations of Russia’s interference in the U.S. presidential election to help get Trump elected do not sit well with the Europeans. As Russia’s western neighbors, they are acutely aware of the damage Russian meddling can cause in places like Ukraine and the Baltics.

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WNU Editor: Like the Canadian government's announcement yesterday that they are going to increase defense spending .... Canada To Boost Its Military Budget By 70% Over The Next Decade (June 7, 2017) .... these commitments to spend more are just promises on what they will be spending in the far future .... that is if they are in power and if economic conditions permit. In the case of Europe .... as long as I can remember the Europeans have always had discussions on being more responsible for their own security .... that is until they are faced with the bill. I expect the same thing to happen no .... all talk but really no action.