The CSU chief of staff, Martin Huber, described the transatlantic security alliance as indispensable and urged larger investments in defense and the economy. “The bridge may have narrowed, but it is still there and it must remain” Huber told RTL and ntv on Friday.
He noted that two‑thirds of NATO spending is financed by the United States, emphasizing that without the U.S. support the alliance would not survive. “There is no military or intelligence viability without the United States” he added.
Against this backdrop, Huber said the priority is to strengthen domestic defense capabilities. Germany has already taken steps, including the “area exception” that allows greater investment in the army and equipment. “We also need a European impetus to invest more in our own defense” he stressed.
Huber likened building capability to having the muscles to play them: you can only engage your muscles if you have them. Investing in national strengths is essential to speak on equal footing. “Europe must wake from its Sleeping Beauty, placing economy and defense front and center”.