Macron announces France will double its military expenditure
French President Emmanuel Macron has urged the EU to enhance defense budgets in response to US demands for increased NATO contributions. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The French president has called on the EU to boost collective defense funding amid US pressure to increase NATO contributions.
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced plans for France to double its defense budget in the near future and has urged other EU leaders to follow suit in boosting military spending. This development comes as the United States exerts pressure on NATO member states to enhance their contributions to collective security.
Following an informal meeting of EU leaders in Brussels concerning European defense, Macron spoke to journalists, highlighting the necessity for a stronger and more autonomous Europe.
“France will double its defense budget following the completion of two military programming laws and will launch major strategic projects,” Macron stated, encouraging other EU countries to also invest in their defense budgets.
He further suggested that the recent decisions and declarations from the new US administration are driving the EU toward greater unity and a more active approach to addressing collective security issues.
US President Donald Trump made headlines over the weekend by announcing he would impose tariffs on imports from the EU, citing unfair trade practices.
Macron reaffirmed the EU's commitment to defending its commercial interests if targeted, asserting that as a “true power,” a suitable response must be enacted.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who attended the Brussels meeting, praised the EU's initiatives to strengthen defense, underscoring the importance of the NATO-EU partnership. Rutte has continuously urged members of the US-led military alliance to adopt a “wartime mindset” while significantly increasing defense spending. Trump previously suggested raising the defense spending target for NATO members to 5% of GDP, a target no member—including the US—currently meets.
Trump has also been vocal about addressing the US trade deficit with the EU, calling for European nations to increase their imports of American goods, particularly in sectors like automotive and agriculture. Over the weekend, he reiterated that new tariffs on the EU would “definitely happen.”
This announcement follows Trump's earlier imposition of 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, as well as a 10% tariff on goods from China, effective February 1.
While Trump did not indicate a specific timeline for the European tariffs, he suggested they would be implemented “pretty soon.” He lambasted the EU's trade practices, stating that the “European Union has treated us so terribly.”
This escalation is not Trump's first confrontation with EU nations over trade. In 2018, during his initial term as US president, he imposed a 25% tariff on steel and a 10% tariff on aluminum imports from the EU, Canada, and Mexico, arguing it was a matter of national security.
In retaliation, the EU enacted tariffs on American products, including bourbon whiskey and motorcycles.
In December, Trump called on Brussels to significantly increase its purchases of American oil and gas to reduce its trade deficit with the US.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced plans for France to double its defense budget in the near future and has urged other EU leaders to follow suit in boosting military spending. This development comes as the United States exerts pressure on NATO member states to enhance their contributions to collective security.
Following an informal meeting of EU leaders in Brussels concerning European defense, Macron spoke to journalists, highlighting the necessity for a stronger and more autonomous Europe.
“France will double its defense budget following the completion of two military programming laws and will launch major strategic projects,” Macron stated, encouraging other EU countries to also invest in their defense budgets.
He further suggested that the recent decisions and declarations from the new US administration are driving the EU toward greater unity and a more active approach to addressing collective security issues.
US President Donald Trump made headlines over the weekend by announcing he would impose tariffs on imports from the EU, citing unfair trade practices.
Macron reaffirmed the EU's commitment to defending its commercial interests if targeted, asserting that as a “true power,” a suitable response must be enacted.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who attended the Brussels meeting, praised the EU's initiatives to strengthen defense, underscoring the importance of the NATO-EU partnership. Rutte has continuously urged members of the US-led military alliance to adopt a “wartime mindset” while significantly increasing defense spending. Trump previously suggested raising the defense spending target for NATO members to 5% of GDP, a target no member—including the US—currently meets.
Trump has also been vocal about addressing the US trade deficit with the EU, calling for European nations to increase their imports of American goods, particularly in sectors like automotive and agriculture. Over the weekend, he reiterated that new tariffs on the EU would “definitely happen.”
This announcement follows Trump's earlier imposition of 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, as well as a 10% tariff on goods from China, effective February 1.
While Trump did not indicate a specific timeline for the European tariffs, he suggested they would be implemented “pretty soon.” He lambasted the EU's trade practices, stating that the “European Union has treated us so terribly.”
This escalation is not Trump's first confrontation with EU nations over trade. In 2018, during his initial term as US president, he imposed a 25% tariff on steel and a 10% tariff on aluminum imports from the EU, Canada, and Mexico, arguing it was a matter of national security.
In retaliation, the EU enacted tariffs on American products, including bourbon whiskey and motorcycles.
In December, Trump called on Brussels to significantly increase its purchases of American oil and gas to reduce its trade deficit with the US.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
