President Trump’s right – the EU owes NATO billions

NATO’s 70th anniversary in London – figures show the EU won’t spend to defend itself

Brexit Facts4EU.Org summarises the stark facts

The leaders of 29 countries gathered in London yesterday. They represent the most successful defence alliance in history, which has kept the peace in Europe since 1949.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II welcomed NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the leaders of the Alliance’s 29 member countries to London at a Buckingham Palace reception on Tuesday evening (3 December 2019). The event came ahead of today’s meeting of NATO leaders.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

We review the defence of Europe in the last five years of the 70 years of NATO’s existence

UK is one of only 2 EU countries to meet minimum NATO defence spending obligations every year
UK is one of only 4 EU countries to spend an average of 2% or more on defence over the last 5 years
The EU27 countries as a whole have underspent on defence by hundreds of billions of euros
6 out of the EU27 are not even members of NATO: Austria, Cyprus, Finland, Ireland, Malta, and Sweden

But isn’t the EU responsible for world peace?

The EU is forever claiming to be responsible for peace in Europe, and this claim is still repeated by Remainers – including many MPs - in the UK.

“For centuries, Europe was a continent of war. However after the Second World War, the European Union has become a most successful peace project, being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012. Today the EU's ambition is to be a global actor for peace more than ever.”
- EU Commission “Series on Defence and Security” 2018

In fact it has been NATO that has fulfilled the role of defending Europe. The EU didn’t even exist until 1993 when the Maastricht Treaty was signed, 48 years after the Second World War ended.

Since then, amongst EU countries, it has been the UK which has been the lead country in defence, as it has been since WWII.

The UK is STILL the lead country in the EU on defence

In 2018, the UK was the only EU country predicted by NATO to be exceeding official NATO targets for defence spending – as a proportion of GDP and in terms of its percentage spend on military hardware – these are NATO’s two key targets.

And what of the largest economy in the EU – Germany?

During the entire period shown in our chart above, the German Secretary of Defence was Frau Ursula von der Leyen. On 01 December 2019 she became EU Commission President – arguably the most powerful position in the EU.

In her time as German Defence Minister, Germany underspent its NATO commitments by over $100 BILLION dollars.

Observations

The World is becoming an increasingly insecure place. Threats of all kinds are appearing and the West must be prepared to respond.

For 70 years NATO has been the pivotal actor. The USA has for decades subsidised the defence of Europe, which includes the EU27. The UK has been its sole and reliable partner, always paying its way, Sadly the same cannot be said for the rest of the EU countries.

Only Greece has paid more towards defence as a percentage of its GDP than the UK, and that is because of what it sees as its continuing threat from its neighbour Turkey. The massive German armaments industry has done very well out of Greek defence spending.

The EU Commission’s budget for the next seven years foresees a 50-fold increase in spending on its defence budget, including an ‘off-budget’ fund of €10.5 billion euros. If EU member states which are also members of NATO were serious about defence, they would increase their national defence expenditure to the minimum level specified by NATO.

They conspicuously have not. And the new President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, was the German Defence Minister presiding over the biggest underspend of any country in the EU during the last five years.

Happy birthday NATO, and many happy returns.

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[ Sources: NATO | EU Commission | German Defence Ministry ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, 04 Dec 2019

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Reader Comments 10

1. Sydney Ashurst , Wednesday, December 04, 2019, 08:47:

When France Pulled the Plug on a Crucial Part of NATO, It was the first major crisis faced by the alliance,
The memo was brief—just a few hundred words. The memo was polite. But for President Lyndon Johnson and his NATO allies, it read like a slap in the face.
De Gaulle’s 1966 decision to withdraw France from NATO’s integrated military command sent shock waves through NATO’s member states. It was a reminder of the fissures within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization—and a challenge to its very existence. “France is determined to regain on her whole territory the full exercise of her sovereignty,” wrote French President Charles de Gaulle.
Is the EU Army an indication that once again France joined by Germany wants to pullout of NATO.

2. George P , Wednesday, December 04, 2019, 09:45:

The headline is incorrect, the EU doesn't owe NATO billions, that's just Trumpesque talk. The 2% of GDP isn't a subscription to NATO, but a pledge between members to commit that amount to their individual defence budget, and I'm not sure, but I don't think it's a legally binding commitment even, just a guideline. That said, it is true that very few NATO members meet that obligation and I can't blame the Americans for complaining. Moving on. Personally I think that NATO should evolve into a global military alliance allowing friendly countries like Australia, New Zealand, India, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Brazil, Chile etc to join and it should continue to be underpinned by the 'All for one, one for all principle. The rise of China and her alignment with Russia will make this not only desirable but necessary.

3. kzb , Wednesday, December 04, 2019, 12:25:

These figures are a reason for an enquiry into why the UK gets such poor value for money out of its defence spending. We pay more than France, but end up with military resources 25% smaller than France. How does that happen?

4. Sydney Ashurst , Wednesday, December 04, 2019, 12:43:

It is bizarre the way the media (Channel 4) is running the show and has brought the supposed cause of global warming into the GE debate. They had the politically correct political parties bidding against each other as to how quickly they would attempt to eradicate anthropogenic CO2 emissions from the UK.

5. Ashley Great Britain , Wednesday, December 04, 2019, 12:51:

@3 kzb. Buddy this is the type of thing we have been saying for years. Our EU membership has always been bad for us.it was always a tool to weaken us and make us pay for it.
There are bad forces in the EU,That have used our own parliament and institutions to strengthen themselves at our great expence.

6. Sydney Ashurst , Wednesday, December 04, 2019, 13:04:

The NHS and procurement.
The Labour Party has blamed the Tories for selling the NHS for years - this is a lie. It isn’t because of the Tories that much of the NHS has been sold off: the NHS was sold long ago because of the European Union.
The EU’s Public Procurement Directive states clearly that any public tender over a certain amount has to be open to any company with a subsidiary in the EU. The UK government and the NHS is prohibited from demanding that a provider of services has to be based in this country.
With the UK's military procurement the same rules apply and the EU Army brings more business to Continental firms.

7. Diane , Wednesday, December 04, 2019, 15:04:

6:Sydney: Have not read it yet but DT has an article today I think. Thing is there are masses of people who gullibly take in whatever the politicians say, particularly on the NHS. I don't spend a great deal of time on HYSs but those I do see just show what people believe & accept without question, on this & many other subjects. Procurement in general and EU procurement rules (which also run the risk of decimating our defence industry ) are one of the most insidious things about the EU in my opinion. Why do we not hear anything about these things from the politicians. Can't remember any such question being asked of our political leaders during any of these awful TV debates.

8. Ross , Wednesday, December 04, 2019, 21:00:

I notice Juncker's country is down the bottom , why am I not surprised.

9. Concerned , Thursday, December 05, 2019, 05:30:

Ashley (5) - yours is a great comment and hits the nail on the head as far as I am concerned, I could not have put the situation better.
When looked upon this way, none of what has happened in the last 4 years should be a surprise.

10. W. Alkaway Essex UK , Friday, December 06, 2019, 18:28:

You would think that NATO would send out demands for payment of membership, with additional charges for every month of non-payment. What is wrong with an organisation which cannot even demand money from its defaulters? After all, this is what Banks do, often. NATO, get a backbone.
Whilst we're on the subject, I suggest that the rumoured offspring of Fidel Castro, Justin Trudeau, should be sent to Coventry for his child-like impudence directed at the President of the United States. Well out of order; he should be barred from all future NATO meetings until a public apology is made. Treat children like him, and that goes for Macron of France too, in the only way they might understand.

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