Monday, 20 March 2017

'No, we don't owe NATO money' - Germany's defense minister tells Donald Trump

German Chancellor Angela Merkel listens as President Donald Trump speaks during their joint news conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, March 17, 2017. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

In a statement released on Sunday, Germany's defense minister rejected claims by President Donald Trump that her country owes NATO "vast sums of money.". Ursula von der Leyen said 

"there is no debt account in NATO. To relate the 2% defense spending that we want to reach in the next decade solely to NATO is wrong. The defense spending also goes to UN-peace mission, into European missions and towards our contributions to the fight against ISIS terrorism."



Von der Leyen was responding to claims by Trump that some NATO allies owe money after not meeting defense spending targets. Germany spent 1.19% of its GDP on defense last year.

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