According to the German Minister of Defense, the views of Paris and Berlin on European security cooperation are different.
Germany does not share the criticism of NATO expressed by the French President Emmanuel Macron. This was stated by the German Minister of Defense Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer in an interview with Welt magazine on Monday, November 18.
Crump-Karrenbauer said Germany agrees that European security cooperation needs to expand cooperation, but Paris has a perspective that differs from that of Berlin.
“When France talks about expanding European defense cooperation, they talk about strategic autonomy. The French are looking for strong European cooperation to replace NATO”, – said Crump-Carrenbauer.
“My point is that any strengthening of European defense also strengthens NATO’s European pillar”,- she added.
Crump-Carrenbauer added that “the military culture of France is different from the German one”.
“This is reflected in the latest proposals of its President. But Germany also has its own interests”, – said the German Defense Minister.
However, she emphasized the importance of the partnership between Berlin and France and its integration into NATO.
The President of France announced the “brain death” of NATO. Macron criticized the lack of coordination on strategic decisions between the US and its allies.
Earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg disagreed with Macron’s assessment of the alliance.