Vice President Mike Pence lambasted Germany Wednesday for not contributing its fair share to NATO, scolding the ally at an event marking the 70th anniversary of the alliance.
“Germany must do more,” Pence declared at the NATO Engages outreach conference in Washington, D.C., where foreign ministers from all 29 NATO nations have gathered for an anniversary summit this week.
“NATO is a mutual defense pact, not a unilateral security guarantee,” Pence said. “We need all allies to contribute to this joint endeavor and honor their commitments.”
“Germany still refuses to make the necessary investment of 2 percent of GDP to our common defense,” Pence said. NATO nations agreed in 2014 to spend at least 2 percent of their GDP on military capabilities, but not all members have met that commitment.
“Still, too many others are falling short, and as we all acknowledge, Germany is chief among them,” Pence said.
The vice president noted that Germany’s economy is Europe’s largest, but recent reports indicate the German chancellor’s office has set a goal of just 1.5 percent of GDP spending on defense by 2024.
Pence also called out Germany for its increasing economic ties to Russia, a growing concern to other NATO allies in the region. He warned the Germans against completing the deal for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that would bring Russian natural gas directly to Germany. Other NATO members have also urged Germany to scrap the agreement. Pence said it “could turn Germany’s economy into literally a captive of Russia.”
“We cannot ensure the defense of the West if our allies grow dependent on Russia,” Pence said. “It is simply unacceptable for Europe’s largest economy to continue to ignore the threat of Russian aggression and neglect its own self defense and our common defense at such a level. It’s also wrong to allow itself to become energy dependent on Russia.”
Pence reassured NATO allies of the Trump administration’s commitment to combating Russian aggression, particularly along the border with Eastern Europe, noting the United States has imposed sanctions on key diplomats and Russian oligarchs for engaging in aggressive behavior.
“America is leading on the world stage once again, and part of leadership is being as good as your word and holding your friends and allies to theirs,” Pence said.