Baerbock Concedes to Rubio in Germany
The German Foreign Office has announced that Berlin is prepared to collaborate more closely with the new US administration and to increase its military expenditures. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The foreign minister previously claimed she knew how to deal with her US counterpart because she used to study in Florida.
The European Union, particularly Berlin, is prepared to strengthen ties with the new administration in Washington and increase military expenditures, as announced by the German Foreign Office.
In a conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock highlighted Berlin's willingness to work alongside President Donald Trump's new administration, according to a statement released by the federal office on Monday via X.
“Europe is ready to take greater responsibility for its own security,” Baerbock conveyed to Rubio. The two diplomats reportedly engaged in discussions about shared interests, including NATO and the ongoing situations in the Middle East and Ukraine.
Baerbock mentioned to Bild last week that she “once lived in Florida, that should not be underestimated,” when addressing how she would approach Rubio when he contacts her. While she maintained that supporting Kiev is a priority for Berlin, the State Department's summary of the Monday phone call did not include Ukraine in the list of “wide range of mutual interests.”
The announcement follows Trump's call for NATO allies to elevate their defense expenditures to 5% of GDP, a significant increase from the current minimum target of 2%, which many member countries have found challenging to meet. Berlin reported last week that it has achieved the 2% spending goal for 2024.
During a press conference last week, Trump reiterated his expectation that the European Union should match its spending on aid for Ukraine. “The European Union should be paying a lot more than they're paying because... We're in there for $200 billion more than the European Union,” he remarked when questioned about future assistance to Kiev.
According to data from Germany’s Kiel Institute, as of October 2024, EU nations and the UK had allocated approximately €125 billion to financial and military support for Ukraine, while the US contributed around €88 billion. Though the US Congress has authorized a total of $175 billion for Ukraine, a significant portion of that amount is allocated to American industries and various government activities related to the conflict.
In a series of initial actions upon taking office, Trump halted US foreign aid for 90 days to assess its alignment with his administration's goals and promised to prioritize “America first.”
The US president has also committed to pursuing a resolution to the Ukraine conflict. On Wednesday, Trump threatened to impose additional sanctions on Russia if Moscow does not accept a “deal,” though he did not clarify the terms.
Russia has consistently maintained its key demands: that Ukraine relinquish any aspirations of joining the US-led NATO military alliance, restrict its military size, and remain free of nuclear weapons, while also insisting that Kiev acknowledge the territorial “realities on the ground.” Moscow has stated its willingness to engage in dialogue with “legitimate” authorities in Kiev and with the new administration in Washington, emphasizing that any agreement must entail “reliable, legally binding agreements eliminating the root causes of the conflict.”
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
The European Union, particularly Berlin, is prepared to strengthen ties with the new administration in Washington and increase military expenditures, as announced by the German Foreign Office.
In a conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock highlighted Berlin's willingness to work alongside President Donald Trump's new administration, according to a statement released by the federal office on Monday via X.
“Europe is ready to take greater responsibility for its own security,” Baerbock conveyed to Rubio. The two diplomats reportedly engaged in discussions about shared interests, including NATO and the ongoing situations in the Middle East and Ukraine.
Baerbock mentioned to Bild last week that she “once lived in Florida, that should not be underestimated,” when addressing how she would approach Rubio when he contacts her. While she maintained that supporting Kiev is a priority for Berlin, the State Department's summary of the Monday phone call did not include Ukraine in the list of “wide range of mutual interests.”
The announcement follows Trump's call for NATO allies to elevate their defense expenditures to 5% of GDP, a significant increase from the current minimum target of 2%, which many member countries have found challenging to meet. Berlin reported last week that it has achieved the 2% spending goal for 2024.
During a press conference last week, Trump reiterated his expectation that the European Union should match its spending on aid for Ukraine. “The European Union should be paying a lot more than they're paying because... We're in there for $200 billion more than the European Union,” he remarked when questioned about future assistance to Kiev.
According to data from Germany’s Kiel Institute, as of October 2024, EU nations and the UK had allocated approximately €125 billion to financial and military support for Ukraine, while the US contributed around €88 billion. Though the US Congress has authorized a total of $175 billion for Ukraine, a significant portion of that amount is allocated to American industries and various government activities related to the conflict.
In a series of initial actions upon taking office, Trump halted US foreign aid for 90 days to assess its alignment with his administration's goals and promised to prioritize “America first.”
The US president has also committed to pursuing a resolution to the Ukraine conflict. On Wednesday, Trump threatened to impose additional sanctions on Russia if Moscow does not accept a “deal,” though he did not clarify the terms.
Russia has consistently maintained its key demands: that Ukraine relinquish any aspirations of joining the US-led NATO military alliance, restrict its military size, and remain free of nuclear weapons, while also insisting that Kiev acknowledge the territorial “realities on the ground.” Moscow has stated its willingness to engage in dialogue with “legitimate” authorities in Kiev and with the new administration in Washington, emphasizing that any agreement must entail “reliable, legally binding agreements eliminating the root causes of the conflict.”
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
