Europe

Germany Calls on EU to Streamline Spending, Focus on Defense

Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged the bloc to become more competitive, with calls for boosted defense ahead of a major debate on the EU budget.
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Germany Calls on EU to Streamline Spending, Focus on Defense
U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz meet in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on March 3, 2026. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Rachel Roberts
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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ‌has called for the European Union’s budget system to be streamlined to prioritize spacing on defense and make the bloc more competitive.

Mertz’s speech, delivered on Thursday, comes ahead of a major debate over the 2028–2034 $2.2 trillion EU budget.
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Rachel Roberts
Rachel Roberts
Author
Rachel Roberts is a London-based journalist with a background in local then national news. She focuses on health and education stories and has a particular interest in vaccines and issues impacting children.