German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called on several European capitals, with explicit emphasis on France, to implement savings measures and budget reallocation to meet NATO's new target of investing 5% of GDP in defense and security. Wadephul stressed that countries speaking of 'independence' from the US must first resolve their internal fiscal constraints. He described the building of continental military capabilities as an 'existential' issue and noted that without the US nuclear umbrella, Europe cannot defend itself. Wadephul rejected the idea of issuing common European bonds to finance military investments, emphasizing that the NATO 5% target refers to 'national contributions.' He positively evaluated the intervention of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and stated that there are no better alternatives to repairing relations with Washington. Wadephul also called for 'open and honest' discussions on budgetary priorities, pointing out that the real conversation begins at home, with accepting politically costly decisions. Wadephul gave due credit to President Emmanuel Macron for his insistence on the aspiration for European sovereignty but urged Paris to 'follow the example' of Germany in its efforts to increase defense spending. In the short term, the pressure will fall on governments trying to balance domestic social demands with a shift in priorities towards defense.
