German Chancellor Merz Rejects EU Borrowing Plan to Increase Defense Spending

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday opposed the idea of raising a common European loan to increase defense spending, saying that this financial instrument should only be used to refinance national budgets.

Merz was asked whether he agrees with the position of former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who, according to a media representative, strongly rejected the idea of borrowing.

«I share the views of the previous German government. We must not allow it to become normal when the EU takes on loans … We are now facing a new big challenge – creating, or rather restoring, the EU’s defense potential. We are seeking ways to finance this … The EU should only borrow in exceptional cases. I believe that this should be requested solely to refinance national budgets, to guarantee the sustainability of the debt situation,» Merz said at a press conference in Brussels with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

At the same time, Merz expressed concern about the growth of government debt throughout the world, including in the United States.

On March 19, the European Commission presented a new defense strategy, initially dubbed ReArm Europe and later relabeled Readiness 2030, to raise EU defense spending to 1.5% of GDP. Its cost is estimated at 800 billion euros over the next four years, including 650 billion euros to be sourced from national budgets of member states and another 150 billion euros in loans. The European Commission will provide budget concessions for EU countries, as well as will redirect funds intended for regional development to military spending.