COLOGNE (dpa-AFX) – “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger” on the debate about special funds armed forces:
“The latest statements from the possible next US president Donald Trump, who as head of the White House would only feel bound to NATO’s duty of assistance if the member states fulfilled their financial obligations, reinforces the prevailing trend that the Europeans, and not least the Germans, must become autonomous in terms of security policy. It is clear that this will cost a lot more money than the federal government has recently mobilized. The special fund will be used up by 2027 at the latest. According to this, in order to meet NATO’s two percent target, around 20 billion euros are needed in addition to the regular defense budget of around 50 billion euros – per year. This won’t work without debt.”/yyzz/DP/ngu