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GERMANY NATO SUMMIT LIVE | Merz Drops Defense Bombshell! Doubling Military Budget To Defy Trump!

GERMANY NATO SUMMIT LIVE | Merz Drops Defense Bombshell! Doubling Military Budget To Defy Trump! German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered a high-stakes departure address today before boarding his flight to Ankara, Turkey, for the critical 2026 NATO Leaders' Summit. Addressing journalists, Merz unveiled a historic defense strategy, confirming that Germany will double its military budget to reach an unprecedented 5% of GDP by 2029, with a massive 30% surge in the 2027 budget to nearly 110 billion euros. This aggressive spending boost is a direct, calculated response to persistent criticisms from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has accused European allies of security freeloading amid ongoing transatlantic rifts over defense procurement and the U.S. war in Iran. Merz revealed he has already spoken with Trump to correct 'outdated data' regarding Berlin's contributions, asserting that Germany has 'no reason to shy away from anyone' as it leads the charge toward a more sovereign 'European NATO'. The Chancellor's departure remarks also touched upon regional security coordination with Baltic leaders, continuous military aid for Ukraine, and rising domestic pressure from coalition partner SPD to confront Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan over Ankara's controversial pre-summit human rights crackdown and political detentions. #live #friedrichmerz #natosummit #ankara2026 #germanydefense #donaldtrump #europeannato #breakingnews In this Times Now World News report, we break down the this topic: Stay connected with Times Now World for real-time global news and analysis: 🌐 Read full coverage: https://www.timesnownews.com/world 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timesnow.world 🐦 Follow us on X: https://x.com/TimesNow_World #timesnowworld #worldnews #breakingnews