Merkel stresses NATO also crucial for US
Source: DW
Merkel stresses NATO also crucial for US
18.02.2017
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has told the Munich Security Conference that multilateral efforts are needed to cope with current challenges. She stressed that NATO was in the interests not only of Europe, but of the US. German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday emphasized the necessity of international alliances, such as NATO, to cope with the challenges currently facing the world. Speaking on the second day of the Munich Security Conference, Merkel said that problems such as those posed by Islamist terrorism could not be mastered by one nation alone, and called for a "networked world." At the same time, she said it was necessary to improve and streamline multilateral bodies such as the European Union, while stressing how vital they were.
Among other things, Merkel reiterated European commitment to the NATO defense alliance, saying that Germany would do its best to reach the NATO-mandated defense spending target of 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). However, she emphasized that NATO was in the interest not only of Europe, but of the United States as well.
Merkel's speech was followed by one from US Vice President Mike Pence, who, while assuring Europe of Washington's continued commitment to NATO, reiterated calls for all members of the alliance to contribute their "fair share." "The time has come to do more" in face of the variety of military challenges facing the world, Pence said, adding that apart from the US and four other members, no country had yet met the 2-percent target. The US vice president said that his country was planning to make itself militarily "stronger than ever before."
Among the challenges faced by NATO, Pence mentioned the situation in the east of Europe, where he said Russia was trying to "redraw international borders." He said the US would continue to "hold Russia accountable," while still trying to find "common ground."
US commitment to NATO has been called into question by US President Donald Trump, who has been known to describe the alliance as "obsolete," although more recent comments seem aimed at reassuring European partners. "Let no one doubt our commitment," Pence said on Saturday.
Following Pence's speech, he and the German leader were expected to hold closed-door talks for 45 minutes - Merkel's first official face-to-face contact with the Trump administration.
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