CSU Secretary General Martin Huber considers the transatlantic defence alliance indispensable and urges higher spending on both defence and the economy. “It may be that the transatlantic bridge has narrowed, but it is still there and it must remain so” Huber told RTL and ntv on Friday.
He noted that, for example, two‑thirds of NATO’s investments come from the United States. “It is clear that without the US it would not work, neither militarily nor on the intelligence‑gathering side” he added.
Against this backdrop, he said it is essential to strengthen national defence capabilities. Germany has already taken steps in that direction: “We have also adopted the area‑exception in Germany to invest more in the army and in equipment” Huber remarked. “In Europe we therefore need the same impulse-to invest further in our own defence”.
Humber stressed that you can only flex your muscles if you actually have them: “Investing in our own strength is a prerequisite for speaking on equal footing with others”. “Europe must wake up from its sleeping beauty and place both the economy and defence firmly at the centre”.
