US President Donald Trump has consistently criticised NATO, urging member states to boost their defence spending and accusing them of taking advantage of the United States. He, however, has been "very insulted" by European President Emmanuel Macron's idea of creating a pan-European army to protect itself from China, Russia, and even the US.
The United States has warned the European Union of economic and political consequences if the 28-member bloc goes ahead with the development of its own defence projects, El Pais reported, citing a letter by US Undersecretary of Defence for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord to Federica Mogherini, the bloc's foreign policy chief.
In the letter dated 1 May, Lord reportedly stressed that the EU's current defence plans jeopardise a decade-long integration of the transatlantic defence industry and military cooperation within NATO.
Washington is "deeply concerned" with the adoption of a new regulation in the European Defence Fund that allows EU member states to encourage non-European nations to take part in projects, but says that the EU has exclusive intellectual property rights in those projects.
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel says that Europe needs to “reposition” itself in a changing world and is welcoming European powers’ unity over Iran, a contrast with their deep divisions over the Iraq war 16 years ago.
Merkel said in an interview with Germany’s daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung released Wednesday that Europe needs “forward-looking” arguments and stressed that “simply pointing to seven decades of peace is no longer enough to justify Europe.”
Before European Parliament elections May 23-26, she said there is “no doubt that Europe needs to reposition itself in a changed world,” in which some post-World War II certainties no longer hold.
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Imagine a group of people so disgusting they have to make laws preventing you from hating them
:candp2:
Canada
