German Chancellor Angela Merkel opposes American plans to pull out thousands of troops from Germany, a deputy government spokeswoman said at a routine weekly press briefing in Berlin on Monday.
GERMANY SPENDS CURRENTLY 1.38% OF ITS GDP ON THE MILITARY
Ulrike Demmer added they have often said it is “important and good” to have US soldiers stationed in Germany. She stressed German-US ties remained “extremely important” despite the latest American decision.
Reacting to Esper’s decision, the German government coordinator for transatlantic relations Peter Beyer criticized American plans, saying it made “no sense geopolitically for the US.”
Beyer expressed hope that US President Donald Trump’s plan to withdraw US troops from Germany would ultimately fail. “There are many opponents in Washington, not only among the Democrats, but also among the Republicans and in the Pentagon. It’s possible that these plans may yet fail,” Beyer said.
Beyer’s remarks were partially echoed by Norbert Roettgenthe, the chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the German Parliament, who tweeted: “In withdrawing 12,000 soldiers from Germany, the USA achieve the exact opposite from what Esper outlined. Instead of strengthening NATO it is going to weaken the alliance.”
Trump had repeatedly threatened to pull out troops from Germany over the country’s reluctance to drastically step up its military spending.
