The French president, Emmanuel Macron, bothered this Saturday, May 17, the debates of “figures” within NATO on the financial effort of defense, reiterating the objective of 3.5% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) planned by France “for the coming years” when the United States requests 5%.
“An army’s commitment is not measured by spent money, but the names recorded in our commemorative war monuments and those who fall,” he said at a press conference in Tirana.
“I do not like this debate among the allies who only look at the figures. I know many countries in our Europe that have lost many soldiers in the cinemas of operations and that had committed themselves with others,” he added.
“They deserve respect, at least as much as those who spend a lot of money,” Emmanuel Macron insisted, without specifying who he was pointing.
In France, from 2% to 3.5% of GDP
“And so, I tell you very clearly, the horizon of 3.5% of the gross domestic product is a good horizon for the coming years, but it will not be done in six months, and it must be done having substance, consistency,” he added.
France dedicates about 2% of its GDP to military spending.
The president of the United States, Donald Trump, asked NATO countries an increase in spending up to 5% of GDP, a considerable effort, when at the end of 2024, 22 countries from NATO 32 had only reached the objective of 2% established in 2014.
Germany said he was ready to “follow” the US president.
The NATO general secretary, Mark Rutte, on the other hand, wishes that the countries of the Alliance dedicate at least 3.5% of their GDP to military spending Stricto Sensu in 2032, but also 1.5% to a broader security expense, such as infrastructure. This last objective can be achieved more easily, especially for the latest countries.
The head of the French diplomacy Jean-Noël Barrot had abounded Thursday in this direction, remembering the objective of “3 to 3.5%” established by the president and suggesting that the second objective was also attainable.
“We continue to increase, we will increase and announce it in the coming weeks, decisions for the current year and next year,” said Emmanuel Macron.
“But I never considered that the percentage in the gross domestic product was an end in itself. What matters is to analyze the challenges that are ours and have, together with that, the good level of commitment,” he insisted that France had “the most effective army in Europe.”
Source: BFM TV
