Scholz strongly criticizes dramatic German defense spending hike suggestion
Date
1/11/2025 5:25:41 PM
(MENAFN) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has strongly criticized a recent proposal from Economy Minister Robert Habeck to dramatically increase the country’s defense budget to counter Russian threats. Scholz described the idea as poorly thought out and warned it could impose unnecessary financial burdens on German citizens.
Habeck, who is also the Green Party’s candidate for chancellor in upcoming elections, suggested that Germany should allocate 3.5% of its GDP to defense—well above the NATO target of 2%. He argued that such an increase was necessary to deter Russian aggression, claiming it would help secure peace and prevent further conflict.
However, Scholz rejected the proposal, calling it vague and lacking clarity on how the additional funds would be spent and sourced. He questioned who would ultimately bear the financial burden, implying that German citizens would face the cost.
Germany’s current defense budget, slightly above the NATO target, is about €90.6 billion for the coming year, which includes a €100 billion special debt-financed fund created after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Despite this, Scholz has not supported Habeck’s call for a more drastic increase. Additionally, Germany remains one of the top military contributors to Ukraine, having spent around €11 billion on aid since the conflict began.
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